AAMA Pavilion Int'l Bowl Expo

ANDAMIRO USA

International Bowl Expo 2009 Rolls Out of Vegas

ARLINGTON, TX — Enthusiasm and optimism were everywhere during International Bowl Expo 2009 (IBE 2009) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. After a week of classes, seminars, networking events and the ever-popular trade show, bowling industry leaders, suppliers, manufacturers and attendees declared the event an outstanding success giving IBE 2009 high marks in all categories.

The AAMA's new game room layout pavilion was a huge success! The association reserved a 1500 square foot island and designed it to look and feel like what a game room should look like. Complete with an ATM machine and redemption counter, the booth was packed throughout both days of the show.

Namco's very own Tom Siemieniec, stated, “ The Bowl Expo seems to be getting better every year. With the new AAMA booth layout it looked more like a FEC setting which I think attracted more attendees. You can count Namco in for next year as an exhibitor.”

This year's game room was host to 12 members; AAMA, Andamiro USA, BayTek Games, Benchmark Games, Betson Enterprises, Firestone Financial, LAI Games, Lieberman Companies, Namco America, Redemption Plus and Smart Industries

"I thought that the show was very good. I liked the format that AAMA set up for us to work as a group and help each of us share thoughts with customers collectively. As we become more comfortable with dealing with these centers I am hoping that it will lead to further opportunities for us on other equipment beyond the scope of coin-op." - Sal Cifala, Firestone Financial.

Attendance numbers were up over last year’s Bowl Expo in Orlando, yet off about 10 percent from a normal venue in Vegas. However, John LaSpina, IBE committee chair remarked this year’s convention and trade show actually beat the odds of other Vegas national shows. “While Las Vegas numbers for other national trade shows are down about 30%, we are pleased with the total participation of the bowling industry as a whole in this year’s Bowl Expo.” LaSpina also added, “Early reports from vendors indicate there was a lot more buying on the Trade Show floor and a lot of interest expressed in new items that were on display.”

Originally known as the Bowling Proprietor’s Association of America’s (BPAA) Annual Convention, it officially became BPAA’s Bowl Expo in 1995 and ultimately “International Bowl Expo” a year later. As in past years, the international popularity was very evident as contingencies from BPA of Canada, the European Bowling Proprietors’ Association, the Japanese Bowling Proprietors Association, as well as numerous industry colleagues from China, Australia, South America, Mexico, Russia, India and Southeast Asia were among those in attendance. Online registration at International Bowl Expo’s official Web site, continued to be a popular avenue for registrants to sign up for the annual event. IBE 2009 was also the venue of choice for the Bowling Writers Association of America’s (BWAA) annual conference, the Bowling News Network (BNN), the IBPSIA Annual Conference and USBC Coaching Summit in addition to the Annual Armed Forces Bowling Conference, held at the Orleans Hotel and Casino.

On Monday, June 22, BPAA conducted their annual membership breakfast meeting where member delegates re-elected their slate of officers to a second one-year term: BPAA president, Jim Sturm, Dunbar Bowling Center, Dunbar, W.Va.; John Snyder, Thunder Bowl Lanes, Alpena, Mich. as president-elect; Cathy DeSocio, Joma Bowling, Wichita, Kan., secretary and Tom Martino, Majestic Lanes, Hopelawn, N.J. as treasurer. Also re-elected to two year term at-large director seats were Rick Braden, Terre Haute Bowling Center, Terre Haute, Ind., John Losito, Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb. and Bill Wammes, Al Mar Lanes, Bowling Green, Ohio. Jason Altman, Surf Bowl, Orangeside, Calif. joins the board as the new Pacific Coast Regional Director succeeding Jim Wangeman, Harvest Park Bowl, Brentwood, Calif., whose term expired.

Also during Monday’s meeting BPAA presented Larry Moyes, Ben Lomond Lanes, Ogden, Utah with the 2009 President’s Medal for his contributions and leadership of past IBEs, while Mike Hennessy, bowling journalist, was recognized posthumously with the 2009 V. A. Wapensky Award accepted by his wife Gerry. The New York State Bowling Proprietors Association was presented the 2009 Ruben A. Dankoff Legislative Award and Pro Bowl Hall of Famer, renowned coach Mike Aulby, owner of Mike Aulby’s Arrowhead Lanes, Lafayette, Ind. as the 2009 BPAA/Dick Weber Bowling Ambassador Award recipient. Other award winners included Hank Harris, Brunswick Corporation, BPAA Special Project Award, and Kent Lowe, Louisiana State University senior Sports Information Director received the 2009 BPAA Media Award. In addition, several BPAA Golden Pin (Best Practices) and Proprietor of the Year recipients were recognized for their achievements. Several educational seminars were also held on Monday, including an interactive educational keynote session presented by public relations consultants Brad and Janet Ritter entitled, “Pins, Profits & PR.”

Monday evening featured the Fifth Annual International Bowling Karaoke SuperStar Finals, presented by The Lighting & Sound Karaoke Store. Ten regional finalists performed in front of a prestigious panel of judges and hundreds of IBE 2009 attendees vying for the $5,000 top prize. Virginia Rush Williams who qualified and won the regional contest at Waccamaw Lanes, S.C., took top honors. Kendra Sullivan, Colonial Lanes, Wisc. and J. E McKissic, Alley Cats, Texas placed a close 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively, in a very entertaining contest.

With over 50 different educational seminars and workshops offered, education was the main focus Monday and Tuesday as leaders and speakers from within and outside the bowling industry spoke to the thousands gathered to gain fresh knowledge and ideas on how to better run their businesses.

Mandalay Bay’s South Pacific Ballroom was packed for Wednesday morning’s general session where NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann was inducted into the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame Celebrities Exhibit. The former Pittsburgh Steeler great was recognized for his many contributions in promoting the sport of bowling. The newly created Mechanics Hall of Fame inducted Rip Owens, Plano Super Bowl, Plano, Texas as its first recipient. That was followed by keynote speaker, former Tennessee senator, one-time presidential candidate and TV and film actor Fred Thompson who provided amusing insights into his acting and political career before turning more serious to present his thoughts on the issues of the day.

Strike Ten Entertainment vice presidents Frank DeSocio and Henry Lewczyk, provided an update on STE’s progress over the past year and the crowd was treated to a special live appearance by the evil Kingpin from the popular Bowlopolis video series.

Wednesday morning The Bowling Foundation recognized Teacher of the Year Selinda Riggs, Cheney Middle School, Cheney, Wash. The highlight of the morning came when BPAA inducted former president Rex Haney, Gage Center Bowl, Topeka, Kan. into BPAA’s Hall of Fame through the presentation of the industry’s most prestigious award, the Victor Lerner Memorial Medal.

The 2009 Expo’s trade show presented attendees with a packed exhibit floor that offered a range of new and standard products and services available to the bowling industry. Thousands of bowling center, military, pro shop and other bowling-related operators spread throughout the Mandalay Bay Convention Center exhibit floor, which was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola, the official soft drink of bowling, on Wednesday and Thursday in search of the industry’s most current and innovative products and services. Making the two-day trade show even more attractive were many Pro Bowlers appearing at various vendors signing autographs while a number of exhibitors offered interactive and hands-on demonstrations as well as many ‘freebies.’ This year The Bowling Foundation held it’s first-ever “horse race” fund-raiser that raised money for youth programs and for the second year BPAA-USBC held their Bowl Expo Bowling Challenge, this year won by USBC. There were also numerous other contests and cash prize giveaways that helped keep buyers on the trade floor throughout both exhibit days.

Fundraisers were plentiful during Bowl Expo with The Bowling Foundation’s Golf Outing, “live horse race” and the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame’s Salute to Bowling Silent and Live Auction, which included the induction of internationally acclaimed author and bowling instructor Tom Kouros into the Coaches Hall of Fame.. Pledges and actual donations for the BPAC (BPAA’s Political Action Committee) were once again received from attendees.

To cap off a week of hard work, serious learning and intense networking, Thursday evening saw the return of the ever-popular Club Xpo featuring pre-show music by Three Kinds of Magic, headline entertainer Bill Engvall and the musical group, Haute Chile.

International Bowl Expo thanks all of its sponsors and especially recognizes the 2009 Diamond Level Sponsors Pepsi-Cola, QubicaAMF, North Pointe Insurance Group, Brunswick, UPS, Anheuser-Busch, Tony’s Pizza and Jolly Time Popcorn.

International Bowl Expo 2010 returns to the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel June 27 – July 2, 2010, with exhibits housed at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

International Bowl Expo is the premier industry event for owners and operators of bowling centers, billiard centers, and related pro shops worldwide.