San Francisco, CA, USA (May 29, 2014) — The Walt Disney Family Museum announces the arrival of its very own Barker Bird—a replica of the Audio-Animatronics Barker Bird formerly positioned outside the entrance to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland. In honor of the museum’s location in the Presidio of San Francisco, he has been named “Pepe del Presidio.”
This new interactive exhibit will be located in the 1964 New York World’s Fair and EPCOT Gallery and will showcase the mechanized magic of Audio-Animatronics technologies—brought to life with a working version of the bird Walt Disney employed to invite visitors at Disneyland into his landmark Tiki Room show. After a brief show and newly created film about the history of Audio-Animatronics, guests will be invited to use an authentic programming joystick to experience the fine art of figure animation for themselves.
Walt Disney once said of Audio-Animatronics, “it’s just another dimension in the animation we have been doing all our life.”
The new interactive exhibit—which will become a part of the museum’s permanent galleries on Friday, June 20—is a gift to the museum from Garner Holt Productions, Inc., the world’s largest creator of animatronic characters, and the primary animatronics provider for Disney theme parks.
Tampa, FL, USA — Busch Gardens Tampa has sent InPark the following statement regarding delays in the new attraction’s opening:
Busch Gardens’new thrill ride Falcon’s Fury includes first-of-its kind design elements, systems and parts. Due to a delay in the fabrication of key component parts, neither the manufacturer nor Busch Gardens are able to complete the lengthy testing processes needed to open the ride to the public. The safety of our guests and team members remains Busch Gardens’ top priority and none of these delays involve safety systems. The ride has been safely operated in the initial stages of the testing process, and all other elements of the park’s newest re–imagined land Pantopia are now open to guests. Busch Gardens will provide updates on the ride opening as events warrant. We are committed to delivering world-class thrills and the best possible ride experience, and we look forward to the launch of Falcon’s Fury, North America’s tallest freestanding drop tower, later this summer.
The Mind Machine show at the US Pavilion, Tsukuba Expo 85. Photo courtesy James Ogul.
This article, originally published in May 2014, is part of “Tales from the Expo,” an InPark Magazine online book written by James Ogul and edited by Judith Rubin.
Since retiring from the US State Dept in 2011 after a 30+ year career in world expos, Ogul has remained on the scene in an advisory and consulting role.
1980s Expo cluster prompts international call for BIE to reduce frequency…
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]T[/dropcap]he 1980s were jam-packed with world expos. There were world’s fairs in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1988, and it took a toll on expo staffs for the countries that routinely exhibit at these events. In terms of international diplomacy and trade relations, one doesn’t lightly refuse an invitation to participate in a world’s fair, and the 1980s cluster of expos had many countries feeling the pressure politically and financially.
The US joined the resulting call for the BIE to reduce the frequency of expos which eventually resulted in the current spacing. The BIE took action, and now registered expos take place every five years with only one recognized expo being allowed in between. This much needed move will better insure that these events successfully continue into the future.
…and contributes to changes in how US pavilions are funded
World Expo 88 was held in Brisbane, Australia. Photo courtesy James Ogul.
The flurry of world expos in the 1980s certainly had a damping effect on US efforts to obtain funding from Congress and ultimately resulted in very restrictive budget language stating that federal money could not be spent on expos unless specifically authorized and appropriated by Congress. I remember the chairman of our appropriations subcommittee saying that he did not appreciate the White House making these commitments without first consulting Congress and then later requesting funds. In 1994, Congress hammered down on our Agency, restricting Federal funding. As a result, the US Government has had to rely on total private sector funding for US Pavilions in order to participate in a world’s fair. This was how the US was able to be present at Aichi 2005, Shanghai 2010, Yeosu 2012, and it will be the same for Milan Expo 2015.
Corporate support for US expo pavilions is an established practice. But total reliance on corporate funding brings additional risk and uncertainty to the situation. The budget for the USA Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010 was more than $60 million and in a recent video, the creative director for our pavilion planned for Milan Expo 2015 projected a $60 million budget.
James Ogul with the British royal family at the US Pavilion, Vancouver Expo 86. Photo courtesy James Ogul.
It is an enormous challenge to try to design, plan and build a pavilion while simultaneously working to raise the money to pay for it. The US Government has tried to leave fundraising up to its private sector partner for these projects with varying results. For Aichi 2005 the private sector partner raised all of the money with a lot of help from Toyota. For Shanghai 2010, the private sector partner had little success and finally Secretary Clinton stepped in and fundraising took off. For Yeosu’s 2012 expo (South Korea), the private sector partner worked with the State Department, with Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell doing the major fundraising for State. For Milan 2015, the State Department had indicated early on that it would not do any fund-raising this time, but considering recent past history and the kinds of challenges mentioned above, it seems possible that position could change.
TSUKUBA ’85
In keeping with the Technology theme of the 1985 world expo in Tsukuba, Japan, the US chose to design its Pavilion exhibits to illustrate Artificial Intelligence. The official selection of AI came from a panel assembled by the Woodrow Wilson Institute.
Tsukuba Expo ’85 ran March 17-September 16. The previous year, 1984, saw the Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans, which would be the last world’s fair hosted in the US to date. Tsukuba was a much larger event than New Orleans. It was ranked a huge success with 20,334,727 visitors attending and 111 countries participating, plus an impressive array of 18 corporate pavilions featuring state of the art technology including robots and giant screen presentations. It was to be the last BIE-approved expo in Japan until Aichi 2005 – although the 1990s saw a flurry of non-BIE expos in Japanese cities until that country’s economic bubble burst.
US pavilion exterior, Tsukuba Expo 85. Photo courtesy James Ogul
The 32,293 square foot US Pavilion at Tsukuba ’85 was in a generic building provided by the organizers, situated on a 53,821 square foot plot at the northwestern corner of the Expo grounds. It consisted of two courtyards, two plazas and three separate buildings: Theme Pavilion, Theater and Corporate Pavilion. The larger and taller theme pavilion to the right and the smaller Corporate Pavilion to the left were both housed under cable tensioned polymer fabric roofs. Between them was a Trapezoid Theater where “To Think,” a 15-minute film by Joseph Aloysius Becker, was shown. The corporate building which also included a restaurant and a gift shop housed exhibits by Texas Instruments, DuPont, Polaroid and TRW. The idea of separating out the corporate section was new to our pavilions and worked well. The corporate sponsors paid $259,063 in rent for the space.
Artificial intelligence was a pretty advanced topic for 1985 and the goal was to impress the audience with the advanced state of research and development by the US in the field. In addition to the stand-up “To Think” theater, we had a Children’s Learning Lab, an Artificial Intelligence stage performance, the first transistor, a Kurzweil music synthesizer, and “Aaron,” a machine that drew original sketches. VIP visitors included Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Nakasone. The exhibits were designed by Herb Rosenthal in Los Angeles and were fabricated and installed by Nomura Displays in Japan. Boston Light and Sound provided the theater equipment and operation.
The pavilion’s restaurant was primarily a steak house but we added to that a take-out window that sold beignets using the same preparation as the Café Du Monde in New Orleans. The take-out window was so popular that the line of people waiting for a beignet was often as long as the line of people waiting to get into the pavilion.
“Aaron” the sketch-bot was of great interest at the US Pavilion at Tsukuba Expo 85. Here, the Emperor of Japan watches. Photo courtesy James Ogul.
Guides with walkie-talkies regulated traffic flow through the exhibits. They were fluent in Japanese and served for the entire 6 months of operation. Cars to be used by pavilion staff were donated by Mazda, Honda, Ford and GM. The largest car was a Lincoln, which provided for exciting trips through the narrow streets of Tsukuba. Corporate donations totaled $5,848,193 and were mostly in-kind. The exhibits were designed in Los Angeles and fabricated in Japan, and my job as Exhibits Director was to deal with the Japanese contractors, with the assistance of two engineers from our Army’s Camp Zama. The Pavilion team worked out of the US Embassy offices in Tokyo until the pavilion was ready for move-in. We commuted back and forth by train. [Read more about “student ambassadors” at US expo pavilions]
The US Commissioner General was Ambassador James J. Needham who also served as Chairman of the Steering Committee, the governing body of all international participants at the expo. There were two Deputy Commissioners General: Al Beach, a seasoned Expo veteran; and Hank Gosho, who incidentally had broadcast the first World Series Game back to Japan. The Federal budget for the project was $9,535,962. Attendance totaled five million visitors. The restaurant grossed $2,910,522 and the gift shop grossed 1,168, 000. As I have written about in a previous article, corporate support for US expo pavilions is a longstanding practice. But Tsukuba was significant in that a full 44% of the total project cost for the US pavilion was received from the private sector and the project ran a budget surplus. The success of the restaurant was notable, proving you can’t go wrong with steaks and donuts! It will be interesting to see how the US Pavilion restaurant at Milan Expo 2015 stacks up. [Read more about the role of the Commissioner General]
The Tsukuba experience overall was a rewarding experience for me. I enjoyed learning about Japan and the Japanese and was impressed by the Japanese work culture. Meetings with contractors would last well into the evenings, but after lengthy discussion and negotiation the work product was always excellent.
In the US Pavilion at Tsukuba Expo 85, Japan Prime Minister Nakasone and company watch “Aaron” the robot draw. Photo courtesy James Ogul
For my family, who accompanied me on all of my expo adventures it was an outstanding opportunity. My then five-year-old son attended a Japanese kindergarten and became fluent in Japanese. We are still in contact with his teacher some 30 years later. Our younger son had his first birthday there and my wife had many young mothers as friends in our apartment building. The Japanese diet and walking left us in the best physical shape ever.
VANCOUVER ’86
I got a call while on R&R in Hawaii on the way home from Tsukuba Expo 85 asking me to be US Pavilion Director for Vancouver Expo 86. I accepted and the family rerouted to Vancouver. Our two sons who had spent a year living in Japan now had to adjust to living in Vancouver. Arriving there, the expo was going up and had a similar look to Tsukuba coming down. It was a kind of déjà vu experience and a reminder of how close together expos had been occurring.
My first big cultural challenge was adjusting from my right hand drive Mazda in Japan to a white full sized Chevy Caprice (affectionately called Moby Dick) on the right side of the road. Expo 86 took place between May 2 and October 13, 1986, and as it turned out this would be the last Expo in North America, although Calgary made a failed bid for 2005, and Edmonton for 2017. The fair’s official title was the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communications (it was nicknamed “Transpo”) and it boasted 51 national pavilions, including the United States, along with seven Canadian provinces, two Canadian territories, three US states and seven major corporations. An estimated 6.8 million
The US Pavilion at Vancouver Expo 86. Photo courtesy James Ogul
persons made a total of 22 million visits to the fair. This was far greater than projections. It is interesting to note that most attendance figures are recorded as turnstile clicks so the 22 million figure would be what would go down officially for Vancouver attendance, but at Vancouver they attempted to gauge visits vs visitors and hence the 6.8 million figure.
The United States section, including the US National Pavilion and the pavilions of Washington, Oregon and California, represented the largest non-Canadian presence at EXPO 86. The US Pavilion theme was the US Space Program. The Challenger space shuttle disaster had occurred three months before the opening of the Pavilion and President Reagan in his opening letter at the pavilion’s entrance stated, “The people of the United States dedicate their Expo ’86 Pavilion to the memory of the seven CHALLENGER astronauts and to the other brave Americans who have given their lives in the saga of space exploration. Their courage. their skill, and their willingness to assume great risk have taught the rest of us an invaluable lesson.”
Throughout the exposition, the US Pavilion operated at more than 98 percent of its capacity of 14,000 visitors a day. Two and a half million visits – over a third of the total of visits to Expo – were recorded at the US pavilion, including 15,000 dignitaries and special visitors. In addition, visits to the pavilions of California, Oregon and Washington totaled 7.5 million people. The Congressional appropriations for the U.S. Pavilion amounted to $6,850,000 spread over three years.
Then-Vice President George Bush tours the US Pavilion at Vancouver Expo 86 in company with James Ogul. Photo courtesy James Ogul.
US participation at Vancouver was headed by Commissioner General and Ambassador Fred L. Hartley, the President and Board Chairman of Union Oil (later Unocal) Corporation. The Pavilion measured 25,000 square feet and had two floors. Visitors entered on the upper floor by climbing a ramp. Crowd flow was pulsed, with 200 people at a time pulsed through, based on crowd conditions within the pavilion. This was continuously monitored by guides using hand radios. A tour of the pavilion took approximately 30 minutes. Guides located at some 13 points throughout the pavilion gave presentations enhancing the visitors’ journey through some 40 years of space exploration. Written scripts were provided for each position, but the guides were given the flexibility to let their presentations evolve so that they could respond to the needs of their ever-changing audiences. The result was that all visitors received the same basic information, but the guides’ presentations were never quite the same from one to the next.
There was often a 30- to 60-minute wait to get into the pavilion. (By comparison the wait at the U.S. Pavilion in Shanghai Expo 2010 stretched as long as four hours.) Visitors entered the pavilion on the mezzanine level from an external skywalk, where the theme was introduced. Immediately inside the pavilion was the History Catwalk, where the visitors were greeted by a life-sized model of a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), suggesting an astronaut working in space.
A History Catwalk showed the evolution of the American space program through scale models of the various spacecraft developed for it. Included were the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft as well as the Pioneer, Voyager and Viking, the robot explorers of distant planets.
The Shuttle Marshalling Area outside the theater prepared visitors for a Shuttle launch. Visitors moved into a theater on the ground level of the pavilion for a six-minute flight aboard the Shuttle to a future when the planned Space Station would be operational. The voice of a NASA official at Mission Control provided a countdown. As the countdown continued, the sound of the booster rockets increased in volume until the entire theater reverberated with their roar as the Shuttle was launched. The film provided a glimpse of life aboard a spacecraft and simulated the Shuttle’s docking with the Space Station.
VIDEO of Tsukuba Expo 85 (clip #3 shows the US Pavilion)
At the end of the film the doors below the screen opened and visitors moved onto a space platform where they could view a scale model of the Space Station, complete with a docked Shuttle and astronauts working on the Station’s exterior. Visitors then passed through a pair of identical modules, life-scale mock-ups of living and working quarters aboard the station including experiments and living quarters sections.
Visitors to the US pavilion at Vancouver ’86 included such dignitaries as the Vice-President of the United States, the Prime Ministers of Great Britain and Canada, the Crown Princes and Princesses of Great Britain and Norway, the President of Italy and the board chairmen of General Motors and Chrysler. The pavilion received a favorable rating from 76 percent of the visitors, with 52 percent rating it good and another 24 percent saying it was excellent. At the time, this overall favorable rating ranked as the highest received by any American pavilion at a world’s fair since the USIA was formed in 1953.
The exhibit designer for the US Pavilion at Vancouver was Tosh Sakow who interestingly had also designed the Renault LeCar. The exhibits were fabricated and installed by Rathe Productions. Boston Light and Sound did the theater installation and the special lighting effects were by Donald Scarrow.
There were some fantastic exhibits at Vancouver including the renowned “Spirit Lodge” in the GM Pavilion designed by Bob Rogers & Co (now BRC Imagination Arts). His group also produced the excellent film “Rainbow War” (which received an Academy Award nomination). Also spectacular was the “Highway 86” outdoor themed area with a life size, climbable grey ribbon highway on which were an assortment of grey painted vehicles.
BRISBANE ’88
US Pavilion, World Expo 88 (Brisbane, Australia). Photo courtesy James Ogul
While I did not work on the US Pavilion at World Expo 88 in Brisbane, Australia, I did have the pleasure of visiting it while working on another project at Darling Harbor in Sydney. Opened by Queen Elizabeth, World Expo 88 was held April 30-October 30 in the year of Australia’s Bicentenary Celebration. Over 18 million people attended the fair, which had the theme, “Leisure in the Age of Technology.” The 98-acre site, located on the bank of the Brisbane River hosted 44 international participants and 23 corporate participants. The Commissioner General for the US Pavilion was entertainer Art Linkletter.
The US Pavilion theme was “Sport and its Science.” Attendance at the pavilion was approximately 5 million. In addition to the indoor exhibits, over a thousand American youths performed on a Sports Court in front of the Pavilion. Funding came from a combination of federal and private sector sources. After President Reagan had assured Australian Prime Minster Hawke that the US would participate, the US Information Agency requested and was granted by Congress approval to reprogram $2.6 million to get the project started. It then requested an appropriation of $8.2 million to be allocated over the next three years. That amount was reduced by $1,180,000 as a result of Gramm-Rudman restrictions, but additional money was raised through cash contributions and space rental fees charged to the three Pacific Rim States, Alaska, California, and Hawaii, bringing the total project budget to $9,742,067.
The US Pavilion adhered to the “Leisure in the Age of Technology” theme of World Expo 88 with a focus on sports. Photo courtesy James Ogul
The exhibits in the 40,903 square foot pavilion featured a “People Wall,” a photo-montage depicting Americans participating in sports, a stylized “American Street” with scenes of children at play, an “Arena,” a vast hall ringed with areas devoted to specific sports, “Spirit,” an eight and half minute video projected in a large screen theater, a “Pros” area contained a professional sports halt of fame, and the “Strike Zone” where visitors could compare their throwing speed with professional baseball pitchers. A “Sports Technology” area educated the visitor on the development and refinement of sports equipment. The exhibits were designed and produced by Rathe Productions.
Alaska, California and Hawaii, each had their own exhibit areas within the US pavilion. Alaska staffed with groups of Alaskan citizens to act as guides. Each group stayed a month. A dog sled from the 1,600 km Iditarod race, an antique hand-made kayak and a giant stuffed Kodiak bear were among the exhibit’s highlights.
California presented a six-and-a-half-minute, giant screen video shot from a Landsat satellite, which had visitors swooping down from space then gliding across the beaches and mountains of California before zooming down to ground level at various destinations. Hawaii had a huge lighted resin sculpture of the legendary Duke Kahanamoku – the man credited with teaching Australians to surf. His original surfboard was displayed along with a number of contemporary boards that illustrated the contribution technology has made to surfing.
The pavilion’s two story “Americana” Restaurant was divided into six separate areas representing regional foods. The pavilion’s five million visits represented more than one-quarter of the total Expo attendance. A survey of Australian visitors to the US Pavilion indicated visitors rated the US Pavilion a solid “good.” An overall Expo-wide survey ranked the US Pavilion among the top ten in popularity.
James Ogul shows “Aaron” the sketching robot to the King and Queen of Nepal, in the US Pavilion at Tsukuba Expo 85
Jasper, Georgia – Port Royal Holdings, LLC, a New York development firm whose principals include famed music and entertainment executive Mathew Knowles, held their first public meeting to unveil plans to develop Port Royal Resort, Jasper, Georgia. Over 400 enthusiastic guests, including government officials, local residents, civic leaders and business owners learned that Port Royal Resort will be the first North American, fully themed, year round, waterpark resort and conference center replicating the historic City of Port Royal, Jamaica – bringing the colorful Caribbean tropics to Georgia year round.
“Our business plan plots the course toward establishing Port Royal as the premier family and business leisure and convention destination in the Southeast as well as a local community hub and regional entertainment venue,” said Mathew Knowles, Chief Entertainment Officer.
Jasper Mayor John Weaver acknowledged the potential of Port Royal. “This project turns the switch back on to restart development in Pickens County,” said Weaver.
The new state-of-the-art waterpark resort and conference center will feature a 400-room, full service hotel with a day spa, two restaurants, indoor/outdoor lounges, sports bar and retail space, indoor and outdoor waterparks, family entertainment center, conference center, 16,000-seat amphitheater, artificial lake and lush gardens. The resort will be located on a 176-acre parcel of land along Highway 515 atop beautiful rolling hills in the City of Jasper, Pickens County, Georgia.
In addition to the waterparks, the resort will offer a number of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and activities for families, as well as fully appointed executive meeting rooms and business facilities for corporate guests. The conference center’s flexible meeting rooms and banquet halls will accommodate business meetings and social gatherings of all sizes.
Damion Barrett, Chief of Development, added, “Port Royal, Jasper will set a new leisure industry standard and redefine the concept of a waterpark resort by providing a unique leisure and business guest experience.”
Operating Green
“We firmly believe that being a good steward of the earth is not only good for business, it’s also good for the community and our country,” said Timothy Smith, Port Royal Project Director. “Accordingly, our architectural firm is focused on using technologies designed to save energy and preserve resources. Moreover, construction and day-to-day operations are being designed for the lowest possible carbon footprint.”
Port Royal’s sustainability plan includes: local purchasing whenever possible; extensive day lighting; factory engineered components to reduce waste; a combination of permeable pavers, concrete and asphalt, bio swales and retention ponds for natural storm water drainage; low flow, energy efficient and solar powered fixtures; and no or low VOC carpeting, paints, adhesives, caulk and cleansers.
By the Numbers
The new resort is estimated to cost $145 million, and within the first year create approximately 1,247 construction jobs, 395 permanent, full-time jobs, 600 permanent part-time jobs, generate approximately $11.9 million in additional county and state tax revenue, and an estimated $54 million of additional economic activity within the county, according to an independent economic impact study performed by Hotel & Leisure Advisers, LLC, a leading leisure industry consulting firm.
“These are significant job numbers and opportunities for a county with an estimated 15% unemployment rate, not including residents that have to commute outside of the county for employment,” said Eric S. Lund, COO of waterpark industry pioneer S & L Hospitality, LLC, and the former founder of the Great Wolf Lodge chain of waterparks, whose new firm will manage the Port Royal Resort’s day-to-day operations.
The development will be financed by a combination of developer and investor equity, debt and existing federal and state economic development programs the project is eligible for.
“This project would not have been possible without the City of Jasper and Pickens County’s hands on assistance, which was instrumental in developing the site,” said Barrett.
To fully articulate their vision, the developers have assembled a world class, globally recognized development team of leading local, national and international professionals that include: Architectural Design Consultants, Inc., Horizon Construction Group, Weber Group Inc., Aquatic Development Group, S&L Hospitality, Hotel & Leisure Advisers, LLC, Ross Consulting Engineers, P.C., and Acts of Creation, Inc.
The project is scheduled to break ground in 2014 and open in 2016.
[quote]This transition will increase our concentration within these markets and strengthen our international customer focused initiatives. We’re excited to see these changes unfold in the coming months.” — Andrew Wray, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for WhiteWater[/quote]
Richmond, BC, Canada (May 28, 2014) — WhiteWater is pleased to announce the restructuring of our European and Asian offices that will bring continued dedicated, local support to these regions.
Sean Hinton
Sean Hinton will relocate to Asia where he will assume responsibility of WhiteWater’s Asia Pacific Region, based in the Shanghai office. This transition will leverage Sean’s wealth of international industry experience and drive the development of a long-term strategic approach to China and the developing Pacific Rim Region.
Grant Poje
Replacing Sean in Europe is Grant Poje who has been the Executive Vice President Business Development for Asia based out of Richmond, Canada for the last two years. Grant will maintain his title for the EMEAR region (Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Russia) based in WhiteWater’s Barcelona office. In the coming months, Operations Management and Project Management will be added to WhiteWater’s European office, further maximizing our dedication to the market.
Los Angeles , CA, USA — Entertainment Design Corporation is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed Alex Calle as Chief Executive Officer.
Calle previously held the position of Director of Design at EDC.
Since joining the company in 2009 as Art Director for the award-winning Crane Dance attraction at Resorts World Sentosa, and later, as EDC’s Director of Design for The Fortune Diamond and The Wishing Crystals, two 20-million dollar WOW attractions at The Galaxy Macau, Calle has spearheaded major creative, strategic, and technical shifts across the company’s portfolio of projects.
Before joining EDC, Alex designed for Thinkwell’s Warner Bros Theme Park, Abu Dhabi as well as their Saraya Aqaba project in Jordan. As a film and TV designer, Calle’s productions include; Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean II and III, the MTV Movie Awards, and Starz’s Magic City. As a theatrical set designer, Calle has worked for a number of renowned regional theatre companies, including The California Shakespeare Theatre, The Eugene O’Neill Theatre, The Cuillo Theatre, Florida Stage, The Kirk Douglas Theatre, and The Colony Theatre. He also served as the resident designer for Invertigo Dance Theatre’s 2008 season.
The Board is confident that with this appointment, EDC can build on its existing strengths and develop in new directions, ensuring future sustainability and growth.
[quote]As home to seven of the top theme parks in the world plus many other attractions, Orlando is the perfect destination to host the largest international trade show for amusements and attractions.” — George Aguel, president and CEO of Visit Orlando[/quote]
Alexandria, VA, USA (May 27, 2014) – Officials from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), Visit Orlando, and the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) today announced a six-year extension of their agreement to host IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando through 2025.
Approximately 28,800 people from more than 100 nations participated in IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013. The weeklong event is the largest conference and trade show for the worldwide attractions industry and it generates approximately $51.3 million for the Orlando-area economy. IAAPA officials also announced that registration for IAAPA Attractions Expo 2014, which takes place in the Orange County Convention CenterNov. 17-21, is now open.
The new contract represents an extension of IAAPA’s previous agreement to host the Expo in Orlando from 2010 through 2019.
“IAAPA Attractions Expo continues to grow year after year and that’s a testament to the power of Orlando as the ideal location for our global conference and trade show,” said IAAPA President and CEO Paul Noland. “The Orange County Convention Center is a best-in-class venue that’s well-suited for our event and our members love coming to Orlando to see what’s new in the industry and in the area’s world-renowned attractions.”
IAAPA officials cited a number of additional reasons for hosting the Expo in Orlando through 2025:
Proven Track Record – IAAPA Attractions Expo has continued to grow since it returned to Orlando in 2010.
Preferred Location – According to research the association has conducted with both buyers and exhibitors, Orlando is their preferred location for IAAPA Attractions Expo.
Ideal Convention Center – The North/South Hall of the Orange County Convention Center has worked well for IAAPA Attractions Expo. The building effectively accommodates the large, tall, and heavy exhibits on a single, ground-level trade show floor. Although the indoor exhibit space sold out in 2013, the floor layout was adjusted to make room for more booths in 2014 and can be fine-tuned further for subsequent years. The OCCC has plenty of meeting rooms to accommodate the more than 100 education sessions, social gatherings, presentations, and other events that take place throughout Expo week.
Affordable Worldwide Access – Travel in and out of Orlando is affordable, and the Orlando International Airport is easily accessible from throughout the world. There are accessible ports nearby, making it easier for exhibitors from around the globe to ship their products to the city. Plus, the city offers a wide variety of convenient and affordable hotel options for Expo attendees.
Theme Park and Attractions Capital – Orlando is the unofficial capital of the theme park industry, and Expo participants enjoy visiting the region to see what’s new in the parks and attractions in the area.
Unique Partnership with Give Kids The World – While in Orlando, IAAPA Attractions Expo participants help raise funds for Give Kids The World (GKTW), a 70-acre, nonprofit resort in Kissimmee that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. GKTW has welcomed more than 122,000 families from all 50 United States and more than 74 countries. In 2013, IAAPA Attractions Expo participants raised $113,000 for GKTW. www.gktw.org
“We are so pleased that IAAPA has selected the Orange County Convention Center and Orlando as their home through 2025,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. “As the number-one tourist destination in the world, it makes great sense for Orlando to host the world’s top amusement park and attractions gathering.”
“Thanks to our world-class meeting facilities, recognized hospitality, and special relationship with IAPPA, we continue to enjoy growth in exhibitors and attendees,” said George Aguel, president and CEO of Visit Orlando.
“The Orange County Convention Center is honored to be chosen as a long-term partner for the prestigious IAAPA Attractions Expo,” said Kathie Canning, executive director of the Orange County Convention Center. “We have enjoyed an outstanding relationship with IAAPA and are excited to continue to provide their leadership, exhibitors, and attendees with all of the amenities that our convention center and community have to offer.”
The terms of the agreements between IAAPA and Orlando were not disclosed.
[quote]Frankly, our existing customers have always known they can expect that level of support from us, so we’ve decided to make sure the rest of the world knows, too.” — Alcorn McBride CEO Steve Alcorn[/quote]
Orlando, FL (May 27, 2014) – Alcorn McBride Inc. has announced that it is extending its standard product warranty from two years to five years. Alcorn McBride is the leading manufacturer of control, audio and video equipment for the themed entertainment industry as well as for retail environments and transportation applications,
In a world where some manufacturers offer 90-day warranties, Alcorn McBride is well known for a straightforward warranty policy that’s distinctly lacking in fine print. Previously, if an Alcorn McBride product broke within two years of its purchase and the breakage was not due to abuse, the manufacturer would repair or replace it. The customer paid only for shipping to Alcorn McBride.
Now that warranty period has been extended to five years, demonstrating the confidence that Alcorn McBride has in the reliability and durability of its products.
“The Alcorn McBride brand is known for rock-solid reliability and unsurpassed customer support,” says CEO Steve Alcorn. “We’ve always had a two-year product warranty and the industry’s most customer-friendly support policies. Now we’ve decided to increase that to an unprecedented five-year product warranty.”
Marne-la-Vallée, May 25th, 2014 – The groups Euro Disney S.C.A. and Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs, along with their 50/50 joint venture, Les Villages Nature de Val d’Europe S.A.S., announced the signing of financing agreements for the initial stage of Phase 1 construction on Villages Nature, backed by institutional investors, plus minority financing from the two groups. With the signing of these agreements, construction can begin on the initial stage of the development, which is targeted to open to the public in 2016.
Conceived by Euro Disney S.C.A. group and Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group, Villages Nature is a new, innovative European eco-tourism destination designed for short and medium-length stays. Villages Nature is located 32 km (20 mi) east of Paris in Seine-et-Marne. It straddles the towns of Villeneuve-le-Comte, Bailly-Romainvilliers and Serris, set part in the Brie Boisée district and part in Sector IV of Marne-la-Vallée/Val d’Europe.
Villages Nature is a unique, nature-centric vacation experience, close to a major metropolitan area, easy to get to by air, train or car and firmly committed to a transition towards sustainable tourism. It will be a leading example of sustainable tourism and vacation practices that minimize the environmental impact and carbon footprint of tourism development providing a unique getaway destination for everyone seeking to connect with nature in an eco-friendly context. On account of its location near Paris and Disneyland Paris, Villages Nature provides a wealth of opportunities for holiday and relaxation just steps away from two major tourist
Its Charter of Commitment is guided, both at the development stage and in tourism operations, by a “Sustainable Action Plan” that strives to minimize the destination’s ecological footprint through 10 measurable target areas: zero carbon; waste management; sustainable transport; water management; sustainable and local construction materials; protection of biodiversity; local and sustainable food; economic growth and fair trade; quality of life and wellness; culture and heritage. This is the first time a major tourist destination in Europe has sought to harness the power of nature directly to reduce its carbon footprint.
Villages Nature’s development takes its inspiration from the model that has been the cornerstone of Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group’s success for the past 45 years. The model is based on the sale of recreational facilities and accommodation units to institutional and individual investors. The properties are then leased to a subsidiary of the Villages Nature company, responsible for their operation and management.
For this initial stage of construction, the investments related to Villages Nature’s recreational facilities are made by a group of institutional investors. The accommodation units, a combination of cottages and apartments, are mainly sold in bulk to a real estate company to be subsequently sold to individual investors. Some 200 units have already been marketed to individuals by the sales agent Pierre & Vacances Conseil Immobilier, a subsidiary of Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group.
The initial stage of Phase 1 of Villages Nature will involve the construction of 916 cottages and apartments classified as tourist residences as well as recreational facilities such as the Aqualagoon, a large 11,500 m² (124,000 ft²) water complex – one of the biggest indoor water parks in Europe – with an attached outdoor lagoon where guests can swim in water heated to more than 30°C (86°F) using geothermal power.
Istanbul, Turkey (May 27, 2014) – Polin has redesigned its website to ensure its visitors-who are more likely to visit the site from mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets-have easier access to all the site’s features.
The redesigned site-at the same address as the previous version, www.polin.com.tr launched today and features new improvements. Polin chose to update the site in order for visitors to not only be able to easily get the latest news on Polin products and installations but also to make the site easier to navigate, attractive and entertaining. Each of the updates ensures smooth access to product specs and photos and social-media apps are expanded to make it easier to share.
Highlights of the new site:
Responsive Design. Visitors to the site will no longer struggle with trying to view tiny graphics or photos when using their smart phones or tablet devices. Instead, the new site will respond and adapt its design for each user’s specific type of device. Guests viewing the website from their desktop will experience a site that stretches to fill the entire screen, while those viewing the same pages from a mobile device will experience a design that is more touch & scroll-friendly.
Overall Enhanced Design. The site’s overall design has been updated to incorporate the latest trends in the digital world.
Improved Navigation. The design of the navigation elements have been updated, and the elements have been re-positioned to enable a smoother flow of content.
Improved Content. All content of the website has been rewritten to deliver the best results. Plus, the site includes new sections that provide details about the full Polin product family to ensure the highest satisfaction to Polin customers.
Project Location App. Polin has created a new app that will allow visitors to locate the projects that the Company has installed.
Currently, the enhanced site is only available in English. However, other versions will soon follow. As the news sites launch, Polin would like to remind visitors that they may need to clear their browser’s past caches through their tools menu to make sure the new site loads properly.
