[quote]We needed a scheduler and interface to drive the motors, a very robust system that would run 24/7 and a system that allowed some audio mixing. That’s how I wound up with Alcorn McBride.” — Louis Bohn, SRO Associates[/quote]
Orlando, FL, USA – A new and improved Big Tex was back welcoming guests to the 2013 State Fair of Texas thanks to SRO Associates and Texas Scenic and the innovative implementation of Alcorn McBride’s V4 Pro frame-accurate controller and AM4 Digital Audio Machine.
The iconic giant cowboy had been greeting fairgoers since 1952 when it was destroyed by fire near the end of last year’s State Fair. The rebuilt Big Tex was bigger and better than ever tipping the scales at 25,000 pounds and towering over the fairgrounds at 55 feet tall. He boasted a new red, white and blue outfit and boots decorated with the Texas and American flags, the State Capitol, bluebonnets, longhorns and other Lone Star State imagery.
Big Tex was no static figure. He waved his hand, turned his head and spoke pointing guests to The Million Dollar Midway and the Texas-size fun and wonders that awaited them. Over a period of 10 months SRO Associates designed and built the shape and visible parts of Big Tex at its studios in Boerne, Texas and partnered with Texas Scenic in San Antonio to engineer the structure and design the mechanisms that make the giant cowboy come to life.
Key to making Big Tex bigger and better was developing a new control system, says Louis Bohn, Lighting Designer & Technology Project Managerat SRO Associates. “Before, the control was hydraulic: There was a button panel like you might see on any fairground ride,” he explains. “But they wanted to add more movement to Big Tex and make those movements more fluid, so we elected to go with large industrial electric motors and a new user interface.”
Bohn had worked with Alcorn McBride on a previous project and turned to the manufacturer for its V4 Pro frame-accurate controller and AM4 Digital Audio Machine, which “really filled the bill” for Big Tex’s audio needs.
Big Tex’s moving mouth had to function with the live voice of the giant cowboy as well as with prerecorded audio. “With the prerecorded audio we originally planned to do a timeline of mouth movements to audio. When we decided to actually interface with audio we had to come up with a system to make it more dynamic,” says Bohn.
With five motors inside the head of Big Tex SRO devised the idea of using a light organ device to take the incoming audio signal and split it into low-, mid- and high-frequency signals and give them a visual orientation. “We were able to convert that to numbers and go into the V4 Pro controller and apply numbers directly into SEW Eurodrive’s MOVI-PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), which controlled the motors,” Bohn explains. “We added an audio delay to compensate for the latency of communication. And everything worked fantastically well.”
He notes that “there was no textbook to reference” for solving the audio needs of the giant cowboy so ingenuity and innovation were essential to deliver his much enhanced audio capabilities. With the solution SRO developed, “we could analyze the audio and move his mouth accordingly,” Bohn says. “Based on amplitude, his mouth not only moved at the right time but also differently depending upon the audio. Big Tex opened his mouth more and gestured more depending upon the live or prerecorded audio. That way we didn’t have to preprogram the mouth movements for the prerecorded audio, which wouldn’t look the same – or as good – as the live audio.”
Alcorn McBride engineer Joy Burke says the V4 Pro served as the show controller for Big Tex, starting and stopping his performance via the Showtouch software interface from a touch panel. “The V4 Pro is a very reliable system, rock solid with no chance of downtime. It easily interfaced with the complex systems involved in this show and communicated with the MOVI-PLC as well as the AM4 audio player,” she says.
Specifically, the V4 Pro sent the MOVI-PLC “appropriate commands and toggle bits to allow it to follow the audio file and tell the PLC when to move Big Tex’s mouth up and down,” Burke explains. The V4 Pro triggered prerecorded audio tracks with a timeline and audio tailored to particular times of day by reading the audio values and sending commands as needed. For live audio, when the voice of Big Tex used the microphone the V4 Pro made the figure’s mouth movements coincide.
Bohn says he approached programming Big Tex as a lighting designer, making “individual modules to pull into different sequences. Any single movement required at least 12 bits of data. Big Tex had 80 prerecorded messages, and I didn’t want to do all that programming 80 different times. So the operator simply pressed a single button on the computer to get the whole thing started.”
He reports that Big Tex’s audio “worked really well” and gives kudos to Burke for being “instrumental in helping us line up all these systems. We all worked together to integrate everything, and Alcorn McBride updated firmware to tailor the system for us. Alcorn and Joy were phenomenal and very supportive of the project.”
Bohn believes Big Tex may be improved even further by the next State Fair. “We may add new movements other than his mouth, head and hand. We’d like to be able to have his forearm move for a much more natural wave. That will be a big upgrade.”
[quote]You’ll never know who’s going to breakaway first – and the anticipation of who drops next is part of the wild ride!”[/quote]
Follow Aquatica Orlando’s Vice President Bryan Nadeau Behind the Falls for an insider’s look into Ihu’s Breakaway Falls – the tallest, steepest and only multi-drop tower slide of its kind in Orlando AND all of the southern United States – dropping only at Aquatica Orlando May 9.
At nearly 80 feet tall, Ihu’s Breakaway Falls is where you’ll face your fears and each other. Offering four unique slide paths, you’ll step into one of three “breakaway boxes” and watch each other fall one-by-one or test your bravery on a fourth open slide for a different but just as thrilling experience.
[quote]I love the attractions business and am glad to be playing a part in bringing this market leading software to more UK sites.” –[/quote]Boyertown, PA, USA – Gateway Ticketing Systems’ United Kingdom venture, Gateway Ticketing Systems UK Ltd., has reported a stellar first year, doubling its staff and acquiring eight new customer sites. Based in Hammersmith in London, Gateway Ticketing Systems UK is a joint venture partnership between Gateway Ticketing Systems US and software services specialist Metafour UK. The venture was established in fall 2012 to meet the growing ticketing and access control needs of the museum and heritage, attraction and amusement industries in the UK and Ireland.
Off to a running start, the venture wasted no time signing seven sites last year, including the Roman Baths, the ArcelorMittal Orbit, and Kew Gardens among other venues. Operations Director, Andy Povey, attributes the busy year to the clear need for a unified ticketing and access control platform that integrates CRM, ticketing, retail, food and beverage, that covers all sales channel bases: “We’re excited by the reception we received in 2013 – there’s clearly demand for the needs that Gateway’s flagship product suite, Galaxy™, meets and we’re happy to provide it.”
Led by Operations Director, Andy Povey, the Gateway UK team brought on Operations Executive Tom Lee in spring 2013 and has recently hired industry and product expert Carly Woodmansey as an additional Operations Executive to keep up with the company’s growing demand.
Carly Woodmansey
Ms. Woodmansey brings with her more than five years of both industry and Galaxy experience: “As part of my previous position, I worked throughout the UK implementing Galaxy at both new venues and existing ones and I knew this was what I wanted to do full-time. When Gateway UK opened I was delighted that I could make more of an impact on businesses outside the brand I worked for, while continuing in the industry that had held my interest for the past 7 years.
Woodmansey has joined Operations Executive, Tom Lee, in customer account management and implementation services for Gateway UK. Povey is thrilled to have her onboard: “Carly has really hit the ground running due to her experience not only with the Galaxy product suite, but also within the attractions industry. She knows firsthand the operational needs and revenue demands of system administrators and venue executives – something that is integral to a successful implementation process.”
Woodmansey is excited by the work that awaits her: “I really enjoy seeing the difference I can make at these attractions by decreasing transaction times, empowering managers to manage their own systems and reducing workloads for cashiers at the end of the sales day. My own experience changed a 3 hour long cash-out process into a 30 minute process and I am looking forward to helping our customers see
similar benefits!”
The Gateway Ticketing Systems UK team is ready for year two, actively pursuing leads and signing new sites. What drives their passion? Again, Woodmansey: “Anyone who has worked at an attractions venue will tell you that there are no people like the people you meet there! You can take someone out of an attraction, but you can’t take the attraction out of us. Gateway UK has a firm grounding in attractions management, a wealth of industry experience and the best customers on the planet. It’s what helps us support our customers so well!”
[quote]Everything about the train is authentic – from the paint and the materials used to build it….all the way down to the whistle.”[/quote]
Orlando, FL, USA (March 14, 2014) – Today, Universal Orlando revealed never-before-released details about the Hogwarts Express experience that will debut as part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley – the all-new themed land opening this summer. On the new attraction connecting the resort’s two theme parks, riders will experience:
— Being transported from the Muggle world to the wizarding world as you pass through the brick wall at King’s Cross Station to arrive at Platform 9 ¾
— Watching in amazement as the Hogwarts Express pulls into the station – its billowing steam and authentic whistle beckoning you to hop aboard
— Sitting in one of the train’s cabins with your family and friends and actually riding the Hogwarts Express – just as your favorite characters did in the Harry Potter films
— Looking outside your cabin window and enjoying a scenic, breathtaking journey through the British countryside as you encounter magical creatures, some of your favorite Harry Potter characters…and even Dementors…
The train will connect the new land in Universal Studios Florida with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure – allowing guests with park-to-park admission to enjoy a real journey aboard the iconic locomotive.
Never before has this been done – creating an actual train ride experience to connect two spectacularly themed environments. The Hogwarts Express experience combines powerful storytelling, live special effects, lifelike animation and state-of-the-art technology to take riders on the journey of a lifetime. Guests will enjoy two completely different experiences depending on whether they’re traveling to Hogsmeade or London.
Once seated in the cabin, guests will be able to look out their windows as an incredibly authentic and magical adventure unfolds before them. They’ll see Hagrid come alongside the train on his flying motorbike, Buckbeak the Hippogriff swoop gracefully over the black lake, the Weasley twins on brooms and up to their usual antics, the Knight Bus swerving through London traffic – and other special moments and surprises.
Universal’s Creative team has been working closely with Warner Bros., Stuart Craig and the production team from the Harry Potter films to create a sensational Hogwarts Express experience that the entire family can enjoy. The Creative team has gone to great lengths to ensure the experience is true to the books and films.
Park-to-park admission is required to experience the Hogwarts Express journey from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley (located in Universal Studios Florida) to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade (located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure). For more information about the Hogwarts Express – including a new video that features a first-look at the ride experience – and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, visit www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.
[quote]Ferrari is an obvious choice not only for the values the brand represents, but also for their experience in the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi theme park. For us, it is also an honour to collaborate with such a worldwide recognized brand.” — Sergio Feder, PortAventura Executive Chairman[/quote]
Salou, Spain (March 13, 2014) — PortAventura Entertainment S.A.U. (“PortAventura”) has reached a licensing agreement with Ferrari S.p.A. (“Ferrari”) to establish “Ferrari Land”, a new theme park dedicated to the global brand of Ferrari within the PortAventura destination resort near Barcelona, Spain.
The new branded site, expected to open during 2016, will be the sole Ferrari theme park in Europe and will envisage a total investment of more than €100 million. Ferrari Land will be built on a total surface area of 75,000 square meters and benefit from several rides (including the highest and fastest vertical accelerator in Europe), a new premium hotel with 250 rooms and 5 star service, restaurants, shops and large simulation areas for car racing.
This new partnership with Ferrari, the world’s most powerful brand for the second consecutive year (according to the annual Global 500 report, February 2014), and PortAventura (Europe’s second largest destination resort and the largest in the Mediterranean) will allow the resort to further improve its position as a leading European destination resort. At present, PortAventura receives nearly 4 million visits annually, of which nearly 50% are from outside Spain.
Over recent years, PortAventura has executed a strategy of continued expansion with the aim of turning the resort into a leading destination resort in Europe. To achieve this, the company has developed a strategy of internationalization and the incorporation of new projects every year since 2009 with an investment of over 125 million Euros.
The construction of a new area for children, SésamoAventura, was the first of these investments in 2011, followed within a year by the construction of Shambhala, Europe’s highest roller coaster. In 2013 it was the turn of Costa Caribe Aquatic Park, the resort’s water park, which was extended and furnished with new record-breaking attractions.
And for this year, the theme park is delighted to launch yet another outstanding attraction: Angkor, an ride that takes visitors on a boat trip through a lush jungle to face a number of challenges and adventures. PortAventura also recently unveiled an agreement with Cirque du Soleil, the world’s leading theatre company. During the months of July and August, the Canadian troupe will install its Big Top in the resort to perform one of its most celebrated shows, ‘Kooza’. The agreement also lays the groundwork for the possible creation of a permanent base for Cirque du Soleil at the resort in the near future.
According to Sergio Feder, PortAventura Executive Chairman,“Since entry we implemented a long term plan supported by well-known international brands to increase visitors to approximately 5 million yearly and to transform PortAventura into the best destination resort in Europe.”
Andrea Perrone, Managing Director of Ferrari Brand,the subsidiary responsible for managing all activities regarding the use of the Ferrari brand said “After the successful experience of the Abu Dhabi Ferrari World we have received numerous requests to launch new Ferrari theme parks. After a thorough selection process, we have selected Investindustrial’s solid project backed by skilled and experienced people and the opportunity to bring the Ferrari allure in Spain where there are a lot of supporters and fans including a lot of tourists attracted also by the PortAventura destination resort. “Ferrari Land” will further strengthen the Ferrari brand in the region. “Ferrari Land” will appeal to entire families as well as Formula One supporters. We will continue to further look at the launch of additional Ferrari theme parks outside of Europe with no rush, while continuing to maximise the value of our prestigious brand without diluting it.”
San Diego, CA, USA — Jeff McDonald reports in the San Diego Union-Tribune on the nonprofit given $2.8 million to plan a commemoration of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition but showing little progress. Themed entertainment design firms associated with the project include BRC Imagination Arts and Utopia Entertainment:
“For reasons too varied and complex to enumerate, sponsorships have not materialized and, after discussions with and mutual agreement by the City of San Diego, at its meeting this morning the BPCI board of directors voted to return to the City, authority for organizing the 2015 Centennial Celebration in Balboa Park,” board member Patricia McQuarter announced Tuesday afternoon. ‘It is anticipated that the transition process will take place over the next 30 days and BPCI (the corporation) will be dissolved at the end of its fiscal year on July 31,2014.’
“In her email, McQuarter promised transparency as the organization winds to a close.
“No one from Balboa Park Celebration returned messages Tuesday, so it was not clear beyond the McQuarter statement what specifically led to the decision.
“Mayor Kevin Faulconer released a statement saying the city plans ‘to move forward with a more practical and realistic celebration that recognizes the character and history of Balboa Park. This new celebration would focus on the existing cultural institutions within the park.’
“Balboa Park Celebration was granted unprecedented control over Balboa Park to pull off the centennial party, envisioned as a yearlong series of events with a budget of $50 million or more that was supposed to attract millions of tourists — and their money — to the city.”
Chicago, IL, USA — Shedd Aquarium, an international leader in animal rescue and rehabilitation, welcomes Marlin, a male Labrador mix adopted through local pet rescue partner, Chicago Canine Rescue. Turning two years old next month, the energetic pup joins three rescue dogs comprising Shedd’s furry family: Bruce, a male pit bull mix; Coral, a female Airedale mix; and Dory, a female Shepherd mix.
Since December 2013, Marlin has been working with a team of Shedd trainers. Beginning this spring, he will
serve as an aquarium ambassador, engaging guests as they wait in line or during meet-and-greet opportunities.
Shedd’s four-legged friends continue connecting guests to living world, highlighting the “Shedd Way” of
training and demonstrating how each of us can build strong relationships with the animals in our lives.
Last summer, Shedd Aquarium introduced three rescue dogs in its aquatic show, “One World,” which
celebrates the human connections with all animals and demonstrates the “Shedd Way” of animal care through positive reinforcement. The multi-species aquatic show – featuring dolphins, belugas and other marine mammals – focuses on the interconnectivity of the living world and the impact we have on our shared environments.
Narrated videos spotlight Shedd’s rescue and rehabilitation work alternating between animal interactions with trainers, including sessions with the aquarium’s four-legged friends. Throughout the show, guests will understand the significance of the individual roles we play in conservation and care for animals in the wild and at home.
Anaheim, CA, USA — The wildest ride in the wilderness reopens March 17 with an upgraded track, restoration of the historic Rainbow Ridge Mining Town, new paint on portions of the mountain and updates to the train vehicles. Guests taking a ride on this runaway mine train will discover some new surprises, too. Along with the new track, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens in 2014 with an enhanced audio system that sharpens the sounds heard by guests on the trains and in the caverns and buildings and a newly “explosive” projection mapped finale.
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— Big Thunder Mountain Railroad celebrated its grand opening in September 1979, becoming the third peak in the Disneyland Park “mountain range of thrill rides.” It was preceded by Matterhorn Bobsleds (1959) and Space Mountain (1977) and followed by Splash Mountain (1989).
— The attraction’s setting evokes 19th century gold-mining territory, with rugged bedrock and desert cactus. Guests board a mine train for a thrilling, high-speed adventure past the spires and buttes of the old West and into the tunnels and shafts of a dark and mysterious mine.
— Since its opening in 1979, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland has carried more than 225 million guests who are warned to “hold onto your hats and glasses” as they prepare to dip and drop into the canyons and caves of the Big Thunder ghost town.
— The unusual rock spires of Big Thunder Mountain were inspired by the “hoodoos” of Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. The tallest spire on Big Thunder Mountain reaches 104 feet.
— Objects that may be spotted by guests in and around Big Thunder Mountain include a century-old stamp mill, hand-driven drill, press gears, picks shovels and other artifacts acquired from abandoned mines in Nevada, Colorado, Minnesota and Wyoming, as well as museums and swap meets.
— Subsequent versions of the attraction appeared in Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World, Florida in 1980; Tokyo Disneyland Park in 1987 and Disneyland Paris in 1992.
— The miniature town of Big Thunder, seen at the end of the attraction, first appeared in 1956 as part of the Rainbow Cavern Mine Train and Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland attractions. Many Disneyland fans still call it by its original name: Rainbow Ridge. The town is said to have been a favorite of Walt Disney, who built miniatures himself as a hobby.
— Other items from the Nature’s Wonderland days include the caves of Rainbow Caverns, the rockwork buttes at the entry to Balancing Rock Canyon, and some of the animals – the dynamite-devouring goat, coyotes, possums, snakes, turtles, vultures – who appear among the rocky cliffs surrounding the mine tunnels.
— Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was the first major design project for Walt Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend Tony Baxter, whose subsequent projects at Disneyland included the new Fantasyland of 1983, Splash Mountain and the Indiana Jones Adventure.
“U.S. participation in world expositions highlights the attributes that make America great but also plays a critical role in creating and closing business deals and underscoring the critical bilateral relationship between the U.S. and the host country. At the Aichi 2005 World Expo in Nagoya, Japan, I was honored to serve as the first female U.S. Commissioner General. For me, as an entrepreneur and businesswoman – and working mother – the US Pavilion’s theme of hope, optimism, enterprise and freedom resonated on both a personal and professional level and were unique American characteristics I was privileged to share.”– Lisa Gable
U.S. Commissioner General Lisa Gable signs US Participation Contract for Aichi Expo-2005, with Dr. Toyoda and Secretary of State Colin Powell
This article, originally published in March 2014, is part of “Tales from the Expo,” an InPark Magazine online book written by James Ogul and edited by Judith Rubin.
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]W[/dropcap]ith only 14 months until opening day, preparations for Milan Expo 2015 (set to run May 1 – October 31) are moving along at a rapid pace and the U.S. Pavilion team in addition to its vigorous fundraising effort will be looking to appoint a Commissioner General of Section (CG), who will be the head of the U.S. Pavilion. Over the years, I’ve worked in some capacity for 10 U.S. Commissioners General. For many countries the Ambassador to the host country double-hats as Commissioner General of its pavilion, but the U.S. has done that only once in recent history, for Yeosu Expo 2012 in Korea. All of the others were special appointees, typically serving pro bono, and accorded the personal rank of Ambassador. (The personal rank of Ambassador is a Presidential appointment with a 6-month duration and does not require Senate confirmation, pursuant to the Foreign Service Act of 1980.)
Commissioner General Art Linkletter at Brisbane Expo 88
The CG typically serves without compensation but with travel expenses and housing provided by a private sector partner through a gift account set up by the Department of State. The official title for the position is Commissioner General (Expert). There would be no retirement, leave, health, or insurance benefits. CGs have typically required a security clearance.
BIE regulations for CGs
By way of background, the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) is the international body that regulates World’s Fairs, and was formed in 1928. The U.S. joined the BIE in 1968, but withdrew in 2001 because Congress had failed to appropriate dues three years in a row. Even though the U.S. is no longer a BIE member, the country follows the BIE regulations with regard to Commissioners General.
The BIE regulations state that the Government of any State participating in an exposition shall appoint a Section Commissioner General to serve as its representative to the inviting Government (the Government hosting the World’s Fair.) The Section Commissioner General is responsible for the organization of his national display and informs the CG of the exposition of the composition of that display and sees that the rights and obligations of exhibitors are respected. The BIE further defines a National Section as all the exhibitors of the country concerned, including federal, state and corporate exhibitors, but excluding concessionaires.
As for participation in World’s Fairs, the President is authorized by Congress to provide for U.S. representation at world’s fairs under section 102(a)(3) ofthe Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended (“Fulbright-Hays”). That authority was delegated to the Director of the U.S. Information Agency during USIA’s existence. With the consolidation of USIA and State in October 1999, the authority was transferred to the Secretary of State and then immediately delegated to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998; Delegation of Authority No. 234, October 1, 1999). On August 28, 2000, the Under Secretary delegated to the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs the authority to perform the functions listed in section 102 of Fulbright-Hays (including matters relating to international expositions) (Delegation of Authority No. 236-3).
Role of the CG for a U.S. expo pavilion
Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan with U.S. Commissioner General Lisa Gable at Aichi Expo 2005. Photo: Mel Lukens
The major duties of the Commissioner General are to:
Oversee the U.S. Section at the Expo. For the upcoming Milan Expo 2015, the U.S. Section will consist of a 30,000 square foot building (“Pavilion”) housing an exhibition to be designed, fabricated and operated by a non-profit organization. The name of this organization is Friends of the USA Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015. At present, the Friends group is working to raise the estimated $45 million required to fund the project.
Represent the U.S. Government to the Government of the host country (such as Italy for 2015) on issues relating to the Expo through attendance at International Planning Meetings and meetings of the College of Commissioners General, as well as at protocol events such as Opening Day and National Day ceremonies. (Note: Because the United States is no longer a member of the BIE, the Section Commissioner General can attend College of Commissioners General and other organizational meetings as an observer.)
RepresentU.S. state, municipal and corporate participants at the Expo (such as Milan 2015) in any disputes between them and either the Expo organizers or the host government. The U.S. Section Commissioner General shall also resolve any disputes that may arise among the American participants.
Interactwith the business community as necessary to secure support for the U.S. Pavilion, represent the project to U.S. corporations and serve as liaison with executives of participating corporations. Ensure that corporate participation is solicited, received and used in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, including regulations concerning conflict of interest, and that corporations fulfill their responsibilities under participation agreements.
Interact with state and local governments as necessary to secure state and municipal support for the U.S. Pavilion and exhibition, represent the project to said governments and serve as liaison with mayors or governors of participating municipalities and states. The Section Commissioner General shall ensure that municipal or state exhibitors fulfill their responsibilities under participation agreements.
As necessary, report to the Secretary of State or his designee, the President. and the Congress on the status and outcome of U.S. participation in Milan Expo 2015.
Commissioner General Villarreal meets with PRC President Hu Jintau at Shanghai Expo 2010
A Commissioner General is typically appointed prior to, and is responsible for, the signing of a U.S. Participation Contract with the Expo Organizer. The appointment of a Commissioner General typically extends three months beyond the end of the world’s fair, allowing time for the preparation and submission of a final report on the status and outcome of U.S. participation.
The U.S. State Department is responsible for writing a position description for the Commissioner General incorporating the major duties listed above.
One of the duties of the CG is to submit a final report on U.S. Participation. Here is an excerpt from one of those reports.
“It is but just to the President and Secretary of State to say that they advised early and liberal action upon the part of Congress. It is but just, also, to all concerned, to say that the delay upon the part of that body, in authorizing participation to the Exposition, made it necessary to do in much haste what should have been done with much deliberation. Many of our manufacturers and artisans declined to become exhibitors, saying that they could do justice neither to themselves nor to the country, within the few months or weeks allowed them for preparation.”
The date was 1878 and this was the report for U.S. Participation in the Exposition Universelle in Paris. Amazing how times have not changed!
Names of U.S. CG appointees
Here is a list of CG appointees for U.S. expo pavilions going back to 1985. (Note: for smaller scale expos such as Yeosu 2012, the title is Commissioner rather than Commissioner General.)
Yeosu Expo 2012: Amb. Sung Y. Kim (U.S. Ambassador to Korea) Shanghai Expo 2010: Jose Villarreal, Consultant to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP. Aichi Expo 2005: Lisa Gable was selected by the White House and was the first woman to serve as Commissioner General for a U.S. Pavilion at a BIE sanctioned World’s Fair. Hanover Expo 2000: William Rollnick (Board of Directors of Mattel) was selected by the White House and appointed by USIA. He was not given the rank of Ambassador, but instead designated as Special White House Envoy to Germany. He served pro-bono. (There was no U.S. Pavilion at Hanover 2000; the U.S. withdrew prior to opening due to insufficient private sector funds.) Lisbon Expo 1998: Tony Coelho (former House Whip) was selected by the White House and was appointed by USIA. He was accorded the personal rank of Ambassador. He served pro-bono.
Taejon Expo 1993: Terry McAuliffe (political fund raiser) was selected by the White House and appointed by USIA. He was accorded the personal rank of Ambassador. He served pro-bono. Seville Expo 1992: Fred Bush (political fund raiser) was selected by the White House and appointed by USIA. He was accorded the personal rank of Ambassador. He was a paid USIA employee with an SES appointment. Genoa Expo 1992: Jay Van Andel (CEO of Amway) was selected by USIA with White House concurrence and appointed by USIA. He was accorded the personal rank of Ambassador. He served pro-bono. Brisbane (Australia) Expo 1988: Art Linkletter (TV personality) was selected by the White House and appointed by USIA. He was accorded the rank of Ambassador with Senate confirmation. He served pro-bono. Vancouver Expo 1986: Fred Hartley (CEO of Unocal) was selected by the White House and appointed by USIA. He was accorded the rank of Ambassador with Senate confirmation. He served pro-bono.
Tsukuba Expo 85: James J Needham (Securities and Exchange Commission) was appointed by USIA. He was accorded the rank of Ambassador with Senate confirmation and served pro-bono.
Milan 2015 logo
What about Milan 2015?
For Milan Expo 2015 a Commissioner General has not yet been appointed. It is not known at this time when a Milan CG will be appointed, but the Request for Proposals issued by the Department of State for Milan stated that only after the applicant is able to demonstrate that all funding required for this project (estimated at $45 million) will be in hand will the Department of State appoint a CG.
James Ogul
About the author – In the matter of organizing a world’s fair pavilion, James Ogul is a top human resource. At such times as the United States has stepped up to participate in a world expo, from the early ‘80s to the present more often than not Ogul has been tapped to help coordinate the effort on the government side. Since retiring from the US State Department in 2011, he has remained connected to the international expo scene in an advisory and consulting role.
His next several columns will give an overview of U.S. pavilions at world expos from 1982 to the present.
