IAAPA Trade Show

[PerryC]

Not fishing related, but a trip I recently did. IAAPA stands for International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Trade Show. It is where if a amusement park wanted a new coaster like we recently built at Knotts Berry Farm for the tune of $10 million dollars (Silver Bullet), the upper brass would go to rub elbows with the coaster manufacturers and start the process. Lesser cost midway games like the one shown below can also be purchased for about $125,000.00. While $125K sounds like alot and it is, we had the same roll-a-ball game at Knotts and on a Saturday in the Summer it would do over $1,000.00 easy, actually closer to $1,500.00 with the right staff. After running games for profit for many years, I can tell you that the reason that you see so many of them is they make some serious bank $$$$$.

We had alot of folks from the USA and abroad stop by the booth. I spoke to a few Russians who like our galleries because they are cash and carry if you know what I mean. I also got to meet a crew from the Cabelas mother ship who were at the show, also folks from Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Costa Rica, Australia, England and Antigua.

Below: Bobs Space Racers roll-a-ball game.



Below is a photo of us getting the galleries setup and crates with the guns and targets unpacked.



Below is a photo of the Lazy Lodge shooting gallery we took the the 2006 IAAPA trade show.



With the gleam of pirates gold in our eyes, we also took along our latest and greatest Pirates Adventure shooting gallery. In fact, every one of us 5 shooting gallery manufacturers took along a pirate themed shooting gallery. Some were better looking, some were worse.

Below: Our pirates gallery



Below: Our closest competitors pirate themed shooting gallery, made by Zanimation.



Below: Another angle of the same shooting gallery



Below: Our finished booth at the 2006 IAAPA trade show before opening day. The public can buy a ticket to get into the show, but they run $80 each per day.



Below: Not shown in the view to the left very well is the guy from Love Productions. He is an agent for shows involving break dancing, martial arts, ice skating shows, stunt shows and so on. If you had a venue and wanted to hire some talent shows to bump up the gate as features, he would be the one to talk to.



Below: Looking to buy some plush for your games? This is just one of the dozen or so plush sales booths at the show. And this was not the largest one who was there either.



Below: Across from us was Coke who supplied all the beverages from their line of products for free for the duration of the show. Closer to us was a company who makes costumes like the lion you see the back view of to the right of the photo. They had a very extensive list of clients they make costumes and mascot costumes for. If you watch just about any type of sport, you have seen their work.



It was an interesting trade show to attend. There was some really cool robotics and animation booths who deal in dark rides and themes with monsters and full size horror horses with headless riders that would rear up and be 10 foot tall, but most didn't want photos taken of their work because so much gets copied. I know how they feel and didn't push the issue, although they would have been the best photos. Like one guy said, "Immitation isn't flattery, it's what someone without original ideas does". Atlanta Georgia was a cool place to visit and home to some serious BBQ food I would go back in a minute

PerryC.

[Scott Shaw]

Hey Perry , How about an arab shooting gallery ? Machine guns , anti-tank rockets , and an old favorite , hand granades. It could have a Bagdad theme, complete with camels. Maybe too PC ? Scott