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Thursday, March 11, 2010
Theme parks: The Tivoli Gardens Flying Trunk Ride
In Hans Christian Anderson's “The Flying Trunk” a penniless lad is carried off to far away lands by means of (you guessed it) a magical flying trunk. On the Tivoli Gardens Flying Trunk Ride, guests are whisked off to 32 different animatronic vignettes of favorite H.C. Anderson's fairy tales. Tivoli director of design Mikkel Sonne is heading the project.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Family Entertainments: Brushboarding Taking Off!
As a father of pre-teens I am naturally considered desperately,
wincingly uncool. I am not “butter”, certainly not “all that and a bag
of chips” and hopelessly at sea with today’s rappity-pop stars and
their portfolio of perplexing hand gesticulations. However…
I drive a car. And this car takes my daughters and their friends to the world’s only live Brushboarding ramp and so right now I am riding high on the crest of a vicarious wave with this undoubtedly cool and chic new sport (see video below).
Our visit last week was made all the more special as the Exeter City Football Clubs’ first eleven was due to be Brushboarding at the same time as the girls. On our way, there was much excited chatter about getting autographs and bragging rights at school ‘cos they would not only have met the players themselves but “boarded” with them too.
In case your finger is not on the pulse (the sport has been featured on the BBC news recently –see Brushing up on boarding skills with new sport - and the Breakfast show is rumoured to be paying a visit) Brushboarding, run by Kyle Dent’s Extreme Sports Zone, takes place on a ramp, designed in the shape of a curved slope, like the incline you might find in a skateboard park. Ingeniously, the surface is not flat concrete but a mass of fine bristles: in fact, thousands of tiny bristled wheels, set perpendicular to the surface and each spinning together, creating a convincing, dynamic surface on which a rider can board. It allows you to "ski" or "snowboard" where there is no snow, or "surf" where there is no water. The ramp is portable, affordable and there is currently enormous interest from attractions and facilities globally.
Already the board has made quite a splash at Crealy Adventure Parks ( see: 2007 UK Windsurfing Champion John Hibbard to launch Brush Ramp at Devon's Crealy) here in Devon and has attended various events across the country including a number of Royal Air Force shows. As the speed of the wheels can be changed in accordance with the skill/age of the rider, everyone from champion surfers to small children on their first ride can participate and enjoy the exhilarating feeling of surfing or skiing whilst miles from snow or water. It might also provide a convenient way in which urban inlanders, deprived of sea or snow, can still develop their boarding skills.
So Thursday’s visit to the ramp was hotly anticipated and not just for the footballers. It turned out that each of the 5 girls could ride, some better than others but all well enough to get vertical and become hooked. A couple even managed to swoop down from the top of the ramp (like surfing down from the height of a big wave) and stay onboard. The sport also provides tremendous exercise: we had a car full of aching calves on the way home as each child eagerly looked forward to our next visit. The footballers had been disappointing though: it was the under ten’s team.
See also: Roller Coasters and the Science of Thrill Seeking
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Are amusement rides part of the real property?
The Feb 22 story in Crain’s New York reporting that Kentucky officials
are suing bankrupt theme park operator Six Flags Inc. over ownership of
rides and equipment at a shuttered amusement park in Louisville was
something I expected to see after public comments made by the Kentucky
State Fair Board officials and the people at Six Flags.
By Greg Van Gompel
Related: A Lesson in Amusement Park Security / Petting Zoos too dangerous for young children? / Theme parks & resorts : Pondering safety and legal liability
Setting aside the bankruptcy issue which could be summarily dealt with in a motion to lift the automatic stay of bankruptcy, the real legal nugget of this dispute is whether the amusement rides will be considered fixtures on the land. Like most things legal, it will depend on the factfinder and the lease agreement, as a quick search of some case law shows you can make an argument for each side.
In the case of In the Matter of the CITY OF NEW YORK, Appellant, Relative to Acquiring Title to Real Property for a Project Known as COLLEGE POINT INDUSTRIAL PARK URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT II in the Borough of Queens. G & C AMUSEMENTS, INC., et al., 434 N.E.2d 1038 (1982), Tenants, G & C Amusement, on property taken by eminent domain appealed from final decree of Supreme Court, Queens County, denying them compensation for fixtures. The court stated that “at the time of taking, an owner of a leasehold interest is entitled to compensation for the value of his leasehold and an owner of trade fixtures installed on the property subject to the leasehold is entitled to compensation for the value of those fixtures. This rule of law applies regardless of whether or not the owner of the fixtures is also the owner of the fee.” By the terms of the lease in this instance, “[a]ll improvements [made would] become the property of the landlord [City] on annexation.” The courts found that the trade fixtures claimants seek to be compensated for were permanently annexed to this property and were installed prior to the date of condemnation. Thus, under the terms of the lease, “there can be no question but that as of the date title vested with the City pursuant to the condemnation petition the fixtures were the property of the landlord. Claimants are thus not entitled to any compensation for these trade fixtures.”
A much earlier case, Moss v. Rocky Point Park, Inc., 81 R.I.327, 103 A.2d 72 (1954), discussed trade fixtures in terms of an action of trover and conversion with reference to sale by defendant of an amusement ride of plaintiff located in defendant's amusement park. The evidence in that case showed “that the ride was subject to assembly by nuts and bolts; that the cement center pier was used only as an anchorage for the central spindle; and that the ride could be dismantled and all the cement piers removed, if desired, without substantial damage to the land.” There was no convincing evidence that plaintiff or any of the previous owners and operators of the park intended or ever considered that the ride was affixed as a permanent improvement to the land, and there was positive testimony to the contrary. Under these circumstances, considering the intention of the parties and the nature of the ride, the only reasonable conclusion is that it was a trade fixture and therefore did not lose its identity as personal property.
A recent Kentucky case, Southern Industrial, LLC v. Maxine, LLC 2009 WL 4060698, 4 (Ky.App.) (Ky.App.,2009) discussed trade fixtures in the State of Kentucky. The court said that an item of property that a lessee annexes to realty, belonging to a lessee, and used by the lessee for purposes of trade is generally regarded as remaining personal property, rather than becoming real property, based upon principles of public policy and a desire to encourage trade and manufacturing. Van Ness v. Pacard, 2 Pet. 137, 27 U.S. 137, 143-44, 7 L.Ed. 374, 376-77 (1829). This is because the intent of annexing a trade fixture to the land is to benefit the business of the party annexing the fixture to the land, not the land itself. This exception applies in the context of several relationships and, of relevance to this case, applies in the context of lessor-lessee and landlord-tenant.
Dating back to the 19th century, Kentucky courts have consistently classified trade fixtures as “personal property,” and recognized the right of a tenant to remove fixtures erected by the tenant at his own expense, “modified to meet the wants and necessities of trade and commerce and the arts and sciences.” See, e.g., Thomas v. Crout, 68 Ky. 37, 5 Bush 37, 40 (1868); see also Davis' Adm'r v. Eastham, 81 Ky. 116, 4 Ky. L. Rptr. 850, 852 (1883) (“[B]etween landlord and tenant, [the law of fixtures] gives the greatest latitude and indulgence to the claim of articles as personal property; the rule being still broadened with reference to articles used for manufacturing and trade[.]”)
In sum, Kentucky law defines a “trade fixture” as the personal property of a lessee, specifically “an article annexed by the lessee to the real estate to aid him in carrying on his trade or business on the premises[,] which may be removed at the end of a tenant's term.” Bank of Shelbyville v. Hartford, 268 Ky. 135, 104 S.W.2d 217, 219 (1937). As such, the hallmark for the trade fixtures test is intent: “[t]he sole question is, whether it is designed for purposes of trade or not.” Van Ness, 27 U.S. at 146; see also Doll, 24 S.W.2d at 948 (“[T]he intention of the owner as to its use ... is of controlling importance in determining the question.”)
Six Flags will argue that the rides are trade fixtures designed for trade and are made of nuts and bolts and can be easily removed from the real property without greatly disturbing the real property. Kentucky State Fair officials will look to its lease to see how it describes the relationship of the rides to the real property and contend that that the intentions of erecting the rides were twofold, to provide rides for the Kentucky State Fair and to have an operator to use the rides while the fair was not in operation. I’ll keep you updated on this legal issue. A pretrial conference in this dispute is scheduled for April 14th.
State officials contend that the rides are considered fixtures to the land on which Kentucky Kingdom sits, much of which is owned by the Kentucky State Fair Board.
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
“Busted” at Mall of America – a Lesson in Amusement Park Security
I’m a person who takes a camera wherever I go. As Legal Counsel for the
National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA), I never know
when I'll be at a location that has a link to the amusement industry,
however passing or remote.
By Greg Van Gompel.
In the Twin Cities area of St. Paul and Minneapolis, (Minnesota) past and current amusement industry history is quite rich with places such as Wonderland Park, Wildwood Park, Excelsior Park, and Big Island Park, to name a few. A few days ago, I was heading back home from a doctor's visit in downtown Minneapolis and had some time to stop at the Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. It had been almost a year since I last visited, and I wanted to see how some of the newest additions had been incorporated into the park. Last time, the American Girl store on the far east side was just a shell, and the food court on the south side was being overhauled. As I entered the park, the bright and vivid colors of Nickelodeon Universe danced and sparkled in the rays of the bright winter sun in Minnesota. I hauled out my nifty digital camera and started snapping. After taking some shots of the concrete pad where the park's new ride would be installed, I headed over between the Avatar Airbender and the Fairly Odd Coaster to get images of the ride vehicles, when it happened -- I got BUSTED by Mall of America undercover security. Okay, busted may not be the right word, but it did get your attention.
Ask the right questions and be vigilant
Officer Wheeler stopped me and she made it seem all so routine. As for me, I knew exactly what she was doing before she even started. As a lone person, without a family nearby, taking pictures of rides in a non-normal area for walking through the park, my actions probably seemed strange to her. “Hi there,” she says. “I'd just like to ask you a few questions that we ask several of our guests…” She asks what brought me out to the Mall today, how long have I been there, what do I think about the Mall, etc. Naturally I tell her about my interest in the park, that I'm with NAPHA and hand her one of my business cards. After some more small talk, she explains that at this point, they normally like to see some form of ID so she can take down information about who she is talking to. Then she pulls out her two-way radio and begins to give name, address, and license information to a person in the office. While waiting for a response, she asks to see some of the pictures I was taking, to which I happily oblige. After receiving some communication back, Officer Wheeler asked me some additional questions, cross-checking my business information with the NAPHA details.
Well trained security staff are key
The point of this story is not that I got “busted,” but that Officer Wheeler and the security staff at the Mall of America proved to me that the park is doing a good job of monitoring its premises. She was not heavy-handed in her approach yet extremely thorough and professional. She asked all the right questions and was vigilant. Her actions reminded me of a story I was told about the workers at another park. As the story goes, these workers reported to their manager that they believed they had observed two Secret Security agents at the park. Their basis was that the two visitors in question were at the park without family and without cameras, and they were closely scrutinizing the facility.
Not every person whose actions depart from the norm is going to turn out a Secret Service agent or a threat to park security. The question is, how observant are your employees? Do they know when a situation doesn’t look right? Do your security people know what questions to ask in these unique situations? Can they do it fluidly? What type of reliable information do you use to check on a suspicious guest? In the amusement industry, we want our guests to have safe fun. Well-trained security staffs help us to reach that goal.
Images: by author
Related:
Theme parks & resorts : Pondering safety and legal liability
Waterparks: Chemicals and Safety
Are Farm Animal Attractions and Petting Zoos too dangerous for young children?
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Monday, February 15, 2010
Are Farm Animal Attractions and Petting Zoos too dangerous for young children?
Following a serious outbreak of E.coli 0157 in the UK, during the
latter part of 2009 which saw a number of children hospitalised and
several farm attractions closed, Professor Hugh Pennington, Emeritus
professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, told BBC Radio 4's
Today programme that parents should "think hard" before letting
children, particularly those under the age of 5, touch animals at
petting farms.
By Stefan Puttnam, Managing Director, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Leisure.
He added that in his view, for children under 5 the risk is not worth taking. I do not believe that any operator of a farm attraction wants to consider the economical effects of banning younger children, but as a result of the outbreak many such operators - particularly across the south of England – did see a drop in visitor numbers, some claiming by as much as 50%.
It is worth considering whether this was an exaggerated response to what was ultimately a fairly isolated situation, or an indication that more should be done by operators to improve health and safety at their premises.
Following the outbreak in the UK, the reaction was to close the affected sites as well as several others within the vicinity as a precautionary measure. Should another outbreak occur this summer, more sites will close and more operators will suffer.
Considering the economic consequences of either a second outbreak or an enforced ban on younger children, the industry should take the opportunity to examine whether both can be prevented through greater health and safety regulation. As this type of event is not restricted to the UK, looking at how other countries would deal with the situation may be useful.
Related:
Theme parks & resorts : Pondering safety and legal liability
Paulton's Park pickle underscores the importance of prior planning approval for new rides or attractions
Waterparks: Chemicals and Safety
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Friday, February 12, 2010
Photo: A Good day at the NYSE
Wednesday's Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange. NYSE is a sponsor of the USA Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010. The expo opens May 1 and will run through Oct 31.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Theme parks & resorts : Pondering safety and legal liability
Over the past 2 months, I have traveled to several different cities and
enjoyed the sights. My travels required me to stay several nights at
various hotels and motels. And it seems to me that, given the times we
live in, even with a reasonable duty of care that innkeepers legally
have to their patrons obvious safety measures seemed to be lacking.
By Greg Van Gompel.
At one hotel I recently stayed at, they had a desk by the elevator banks for a person to ensure that all people who passed by had a room key before entering the elevators. This feature would have been an excellent approach for guest safety, if a person was actually at the desk. In fact, the only time I saw an employee at the desk was on the weekends and then he never even asked me to produce a hotel key before I entered the banks of elevators and proceeded further into the hotel.
If it is considered too expensive to have a person physically at the location, a hotel could install a set of impact-resistant plastic doors that require the guest to insert a room key into before going into the bank of elevators. Some of the hotels I visited had either other public events happening or were part of a casino. In all cases, I was able to walk directly to a bank of elevators, press a button to go to a floor and be off without anyone asking me where I was going. Yes, there were security cameras watching every move of the employees and guests - I’m sure the hotel has my every move on film, but how preventive is that? An enclosed Motel 6 has better security measures.
Since more and more amusement parks are becoming resort destinations and since casinos more and more are becoming a part of the attractions industry, I think it is time to ask how we can keep a more vigilant eye on guest safety. Let’s take a fresh look at access to elevators and other guest areas to make our guests feel more secure - and in fact to make them be more secure. It is fairly routine to secure employee-only areas, but what about our guests?
Image: Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon in Billy Wilder's classic film, The Apartment
See also:
Theme Parks: Paultons Park gets approval for Cobra
Amusement Parks: Paulton's Park pickle - update
Paulton's Park pickle underscores the importance of prior planning approval for new rides or attractions
Waterparks: Chemicals and Safety
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Thursday, January 14, 2010
Roller Coasters and the Science of Thrill Seeking
A fascinating look at the latest developments in coaster technology in
the Times the other day in “How to embrace fear. Good news for
thrill-seekers: Scientists are adapting roller coaster technology to
bring us the ultimate ride".
The reporters, Karen Bartlett and Leo Lewis experience Eejanaika (right), S & S Worldwide’s steel 4th Dimension roller coaster (world's 2nd after X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain) at Japan’s Fuji-Q Highland - a fiendish ride which allows the seats to revolve through 360 degrees and each one turns the occupants upside down 14 times - and chart the history of the amusement park’s quest to provide high octane thrills.
They chat with Brendan Walker, a “Thrill Engineer” who is carefully examining the way in which our minds respond and react when riding white knuckle thrill rides and coasters. There is talk of a predilection for such sensations being hereditary, in the genes, and Walker has been tested and is waiting for the results… He is fascinated by the mental response to thrills and anger and explains that when he is on planes he “read(s) out accounts of air disasters to see how people react”, adding, with what I imagine is a degree of understatement, “My girlfriend hates it when I do that.”
Related: Roller Coasters: A Mystery Mine Movie, Part 1 / Roller Coasters: A Mystery Mine Movie, Part 2 A Designer's View: Six Flags' X2: A Ride of Genius? / X2 – Thrilling As Ever, Almost To A Fault
Spinning the Waltzer
“In the old days fairground workers knew how to work with all those elements,” Walker says. “They could read from people’s expressions how afraid they were, and they’d make the ride go higher, or faster — or come and spin your car if you were on the waltzer. What we want to do is measure those responses in a quantifiable way and program the rides themselves.”
Working with the British ride company RoboCoaster, Walker is beginning to construct, at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, a larger prototype of an adaptive ride that can be programmed and changed to suit different responses. RoboCoaster rides, which are based on industrial robots, come in two or four-seat variations. Their smaller size makes them most adaptable to an individual experience. Walker predicts that larger rides could group together similar-scoring sensation-seekers for a pre-programmed experience suited to their needs.
Read the full article here: How to embrace fear : Roller Coaster Technology
It is an insightful look into how those at the forefront of ride engineering are seeking to measure human responses to “thrill” elements in order to maximise the effectiveness of their attractions and rides. They talk to a number of industry insiders and make some useful observations on the way people react to certain stimili. At the end of the day though, integration is key: we are reminded that technology is only as good as the experience it helps to create. As David Wilson, from Walt Disney Imagineering, explains, “We can create cool technology, but at the heart of what we’re doing is the story we want to tell.”
Image: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP
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Thursday, December 24, 2009
Themed Design: Happy Holidays and the Art of the E-card
Here is a selection of E cards received this Christmas. Naturally with the nature of this industry, many are creative and themed. Watch out for a hard-rockin' Santa, planetary baubles, best wishes from robots in Singapore and a gorgeous, sleeping Siberian tiger. A big Happy Holidays to all our readers across the world and here's wishing you a superb 2010!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Theme Parks: Paultons Park gets approval for Cobra
A separate application to retain the Cobra steel rollercoaster at
Paulton's Park was approved this morning at the NPA's headquarters.
The approval means the Gerstlauer customer coaster, complete with its control building, catering kiosk and photography
booth, can stay in its current location and does not have to be
scrapped or moved.
Reading between the lines, it seems that the neighbors were upset with the noise released from riders of the higher-capacity Edge Disk-O coaster.
For Paulton's Park, this new approval greatly assists it, as it only needs to be concerned with relocating one ride, and the Edge installation is likely easier to move than the other.
See also:
Amusement Parks: Paulton's Park pickle - update
Amusement Parks: Paulton's Park pickle underscores the importance of prior planning approval for new rides or attractions
To represent the amusement park industry, you must become a part of it: Lary Zucker on career, networking and litigation
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Monday, December 14, 2009
Theme Parks: IAAPA Expo photos.
From 17th to 20th November 2009, and for the first time in its 91 year history, the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) Attractions Expo took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, USA. For the first time ever, the world's biggest event in this sector was held in the capital of gambling and entertainment...
IAAPA Attractions Expo is the world’s largest conference and trade show for the $24 billion amusement park and attractions industry. It is owned and produced by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) and serves as the marketplace for amusement parks and attractions industry leaders, decision makers, and visionaries who gather to network, view the latest innovations, and plan for the future.
With preliminary estimates indicating 24,000 people, including over 14,500 buyers, from 108 nations participated in IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 , the buyer figure represents an increase of 17% compared to the number of buyers who participated in last year's show in Orlando, Florida.
See our show report here: IAAPA '09: View from the Floor - a Trade Show Diary.
Photos kind courtesy of Alessandra Plattner.
From the top: 1. Rustproof dragon from Mang Stainless Art 2.
Electrosonic's booth: note videowall and man watching televsion on robot's chest 3. Marie Fisher, on the right, talks to a visitor on the Adrian Fisher Design booth. The fireplace lifts up to reveal a meeting room...4. Blooloop Editor Judy Rubin and Alessandra Plattner, unsettling a Deinonychus 5. nWave and 3DBA booths, always busy. Note Janine Baker on left, Ben Stassen on right 6. Black Hills Geological 's mammoth. 7 A troll.
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Theme Parks and Cultural Attractions: Judy Rubin reports on IAAPA in Las Vegas, Part 2
From Insecticide to Coney Island, Flip books to running machines, Blooloop Editor Judy Rubin reports from the show floor at the year's biggest bash and meets an industry leader who is just not what he was..
Coney Island wants you – right now (Hurry!)
Actively seeking developers who can fast-track attractions to open at Coney Island in time for Memorial Day 2010 was a New York City team including Nathan Bliss, assistant VP of NYC economic development. They reached out in force, with a session and a booth on the IAAPA floor. They declared that the city is ready to restore Coney Island's position as a major entertainment destination over the short term and the long term, and to provide support, infrastructure and marketing power. They report having a land purchase contract, a city council ratified plan and the zoning to go with it. (See www.nycedc.com/rfp and NYC to buy land to revive Coney Island amusements)
USA Pavilion at Shanghai
Nick Winslow, the miracle-maker who with partner Ellen Eliasoph is producing the USA Pavilion for Shanghai Expo 2010, was present at IAAPA, shmoozing in the company of his longtime colleague, economics research specialist Tracy Kahaner (also Blooloop's news editor). While US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has launched a final push to raise the remainder of the pavilion's $61 million budget, Winslow's team has gotten on with pavilion staffing with the help of a student ambassador program via the University of Southern California China Institute. A total of 543 students applied to the program (deadline was Nov 15) and from that total will be selected two groups of 80 students to work as docents in the pavilion, living on site in the Expo Village.
Museums and Science Centers
“Being a museum guy, I don't understand Las Vegas,” said Dan Moalli of Design & Production. He has been busy over the past year keeping the company busy with such projects as a major renovation of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, which opened in October. With D&P on the project team designing, lighting and building exhibits, media and AV were Gallagher & Associates and Gallagher's media arm, GTOO, as well as media producer Cortina Productions.
In the wake of his successful executive production role on the Kimball Museum of Natural History for the California Academy of Sciences, Jonathan Katz (left) of Cinnabar is a featured speaker on two museum conference panels coming up: at the California Association of Museums (CAM) in February, and the American Association of Museums (AAM) in May. Cinnabar is now engaged as part of the team creating the new Age of Mammals galleries for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Telus World Edmonton is undertaking a $350 million expansion, recently approved by the Board of Directors, according to Ian McLennan of Ian McLennan Consulting. The expansion will include an early childhood development center, a new digital visualization theater, a revamped giant-screen cinema, and expanded science galleries. The city of Edmonton is positioning itself as a candidate for the 2017 expo and Gordon Linden, who showed us an advance copy of The Expo Book, authored by Linden and Paul Creighton and soon to be available in print, is consulting.
Rob Wyatt, principal and co-founder of EDG, reports the company is working on a plan for revitalizing existing Fort Edmonton in Edmonton, Canada, into a living history park that celebrates the history of that city from the fort days through the 1920s... Michelle Ouellette, director of business development at Sky-Skan reports two new digital dome theater installations in Asia – a stereoscopic 3D, 8k fulldome planetarium theater system in Macau, and an 8k fulldome planetarium theater for the Hong Kong Space Museum.
Insecticide the Ride (left) is the name of a new interactive adventure from Garner Holt Productions, in which you kinda get to reverse the effects of the movie The Fly, by collecting fly DNA to turn some unfortunate winged creature back into a human being. This one's a crossover: Jody Van Meter reports enthusiastic reception from museums as well as entertainment operators.
Consultants' Corner
Ted King reports that he is currently working with Jeremy Railton of EDG to create Resorts World at Sentosa Island... Richard Ford just returned from project management consulting on the Revenge of the Mummy attraction for Universal Studios Singapore and is now providing creative and master planning development for Herschend on the long term vision for Dollywood, including a front gate hotel and rework of the park entrance... For the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority in Hampton, Virginia, economics specialist John Gerner is studying possibly future uses of Fort Monroe, a military facility that is being phased out and contains more than 100 buildings. The goal is to retain and re-use as many of the historic structures as possible.
New Stuff
Don Marinelli of Carnegie Mellon's ETC headquartered in Pittsburgh but with an ever increasing network of international satellite campuses, was in town to attend both IAAPA and the World Gaming Expo in the adjoining hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. At WGA he was giving a panel presentation.
Get in Line ( right), a new company of recent ETC grads creatively applying interactive technology that ties in with guests' mobile phones to improve the queuing experience, reported successful temporary installations at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle and the Carnegie Mellon spring carnival. Joshua Jeffery, VP creative, showed us how the system can tie into DMX protocol to cue lighting and special effects.
Doron Gazit of Air Dimensional Design is in R&D stages on a new product, Frozen Flow, a new decorative LED lighting product for special events... John Drury of Ideality is connected to a project in Phoenix - a mixed-use recreation resort that highlights green building and clean energy - still in early development stages...
And now for two of my favorite things at the show: the flipbook stand, and the incredible shrinking Craig Hanna! Many thanks to Greg MacLaurin, a concept designer/special effects wizard who has given me lots of great editorial pointers over the years and one of those people who walks the whole floor at IAAPA and finds the neat things others might miss. Pic Flips, the mobile flipbook studio, takes a seven-second video of you and then in about 2 minutes turns it into an endlessly entertaining flipbook. I'm afraid that I may have interrupted more than one serious business conversation in brandishing my flipbook around the show. The item is that much more poignant of a keepsake for members of an industry closely tied to the development of cinema, as Keith James of JRA remarked.
For those of us who hadn't seen Craig Hanna (left- head of Thinkwell Design) since last year, his transformation - from the big guy of the past 20 years or so, into a lean, mean, marathon running machine - was sensational. Craig took off 95 lbs and looks positively wiry - completely prepared and fit to undertake another 50 or so years of visionary industry leadership. A staffer tells us that Craig has abandoned the sit-down work mode and now operates from a standup desk fitted with a slow-walk treadmill. Go, Craig!
Images(from top):
1- editor Judy rubin at the BRC Imagination Arts Elvis themed party.
2 - Jonathan Katz, courtesy Cinnabar california Inc.
3- Insecticide the Ride, courtesy Garner Holt Productions.
4- - Guests use their keypad and voices to control games on a large screen while they wait in line for a ride at Carnegie Mellon Spring Carnival 2009. The guests' avatars on screen earned points and achievements as they played during the 3 day long event. Courtesy Evil Genius Designs
5 - courtesy Craig Hanna
Related:
Overheard at IAAPA, Las Vegas
Meet me in Las Vegas (IAAPA booth 4524)
Collaborate, Design, Engage, Succeed! An Interview with Jonathan Katz
Teaching Themed Entertainment : Interview with Don Marinelli
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Amusement parks:Overheard at IAAPA, Las Vegas
Seen and heard by Blooloop's Judith Rubin at the biggest annual trade event of the Themed Entertainment Industry.
The era of instant journalism fostered by the Internet has sparked a new watchfulness on the part of the industry. It seemed that practically every time I took out my notebook or thumbed the keys on my mobile phone over the past three days, someone would half jokingly inquire with a certain amount of nervousness what was being recorded or transmitted.
I like to think that the ability to publish rapidly has not affected my judgment as an editor. It has never been my goal to be the Louella Parsons of the themed entertainment industry. I hereby present some news snippets and observations gathered during the IAAPA show in Las Vegas, which is closing today. You can read on without fear of encountering scandal or premature reporting. Should you find any inaccuracies here they are probably the result of not being able to read my own scrawl from the notebook.
Yves Pepin and Jean-Michel Louis, long associated with ECA2, have both moved on from that company. Pepin departed last year to focus on being an independent creative with more control over his agenda, and continues to collaborate with ECA2 on such projects as the State Grid Pavilion for Shanghai Expo 2010. Louis departed last month to join Le Public Systeme, an event production company. The new CEO of ECA2 is Jean-Christophe Canizares.
Also taking the independent path was lighting designer Pat Gallegos. The former TEA president was most recently with X-nth. Gallegos specialized in themed architectural lighting design, an art he mastered on the job in the creation of Epcot, as a theater grad learning the ropes at WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering).
Milwaukee-based lighting designer Marty Peck worked on a project lighting the Mitchell Park Domes, that has contributed to Milwaukee's downtown revitalization. The trio of existing horticultural domes was spiced up for new evening programming with LEDs and floods from Color Kinetics, controlled by an ETC Pharos system. The project budget was a thrifty $550k.
TEA International Board member Christine Kerr attended the show with her son Alex, a recent graduate who after a lifetime of hearing his mother talk about the industry, has decided it might be the place for his own career, too. As a major in biochemistry and a minor in drama, he is already the embodiment of science theater.
We ran into Dan Martin of Market Feasibility Advisers at the Elvis-themed party hosted by BRC Imagination Arts. The company has a new project in Saudi Arabia. Recent work includes helping to solve an unanticipated overcrowding problem at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, strategizing the re-opening of the Statue of Liberty to the public and sorting out visitor flow at the US Capitol Visitor Center. Martin's company frequently collaborates with another company, Orca, which is made up of Disney operations veterans.
Jon Corfino of Attraction Media & Entertainment Inc. was pleased to report a signed deal with Blue Man Group to create a 4D multimedia attraction that will be produced by Charlotte Huggins.
The Themed Entertainment Association held its annual meeting to evaluate the past year and look ahead. Steve Thorburn of Thorburn Associates Inc. was confirmed for a second term as TEA president. Membership numbers are up. The Europe/Middle East Division new head is Alan Wilkinson of Electrosonic (Kevin Murphy of Event Communications Ltd., outgoing). In the US, the Eastern Division's new head is Brian Morrow of SeaWorld (Steve Birket of Birket Engineering, outgoing) and David Aion of Aion Themed Environments is the new head of the Western Division, with Daren Ulmer outgoing.
Back on the show floor, Michael Needham and David Needham of SimEx-Iwerks were promoting, on the heels of much success with the SpongeBob 4D attraction, forthcoming releases in various stages of production: a Dora & Diego 4D attraction (the deal brings together SimEx-Iwerks with Paramount and Nickelodeon) being produced by Super 78, a Happy Feet 4D attraction (we saw a rough cut), a 4D Wizard of Oz experience for which the original Warner Bros. film footage is being edited and converted to 3D, and the new SpeedRacer ridefilm which packs an impressive amount of storytelling into a very high-paced animation adventure.
Janine Baker of nWave Pictures reported that the company has secured rights to the classic children's book, The Little Prince, and will begin work on a 3D animated film version for wide release. Pirates Treasure 4D from nWave opens March 2010. The company that gave you Fly Me to the Moon is now having good success with its sea turtle movie package in multiple markets, with museums, aquariums and theme parks all enthusiastic about booking TurtleVision 4D, to the point where some special venues are installing 3D theaters specifically to open with that show. Ben Stassen fans take note: the man himself will be on the IAAPA floor today.
More news to come about the people, companies and projects of the themed attractions industry – watch for Part II of my IAAPA show report tomorrow.
See also:
Themed Design: Lagasse's Stadium hits a home run for sports-themed restaurants
Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Announces 16th Annual Thea Award Recipients
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Themed Design: Lagasse's Stadium hits a home run for sports-themed restaurants
Checking in here live from the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Las Vegas...
The concept of themed dining—sometimes referred to as
“eat-ertainment—has been around the amusement industry for several
years in several different formats. You’ve had character breakfasts,
dinner shows, and restaurants with audio and visual experiences like
the Rainforest Cafes from Schussler Creative...
By: Chad Emerson
(See also: Themed Restaurants: Chad Emerson Interviews Steve Schussler)
It’s not a surprise that here in Las Vegas, one of the entertainment capitals of the world, companies are continuing to innovate and further improve on the world of immersive dining experiences.
One of the latest examples I have enjoyed this week is Lagasse’s Stadium at the Palazzo casino and resort on the Las Vegas Strip. According to Grant Speros, the manager of this new offering from world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse, “the Stadium is truly unique from anywhere else in the world. It’s a place that could probably start a brand new trend with great theming and dining.”
What I find outstanding about Lagasse’s Stadium is that it takes sports viewing and gaming - an option that we have seen often enough in restaurants over the years for it to have grown somewhat stale -and re-infuses it with new energy. The Stadium met this challenge by creating a venue that replicates the sights and sounds of actually being in a big-league park or arena. From the moment guests enter, they encounter sports memorabilia set among tiered, stadium seating which itself is surrounded by “luxury boxes” (private gathering rooms with big screens, pool tables, and other amenities) and “skyboxes” (exclusive space located above much of the venue’s other seating).
Lagasse's Stadium takes sports theming beyond an ESPN SportsZone or an All*Star Café by conveying, with an authentic feel, the excitement found at the actual game. The tiered seating and skyboxes especially give the guest a feeling of being in a real gameday setting. But, the innovation doesn’t stop with the physical environment – there's another special ingredient I enjoyed that sets it apart from other sports viewing and gaming venues – the food!
The conventional fare at a sports gaming facility is typically limited to hot dogs, peanuts, and hamburgers. While the Stadium certainly includes those options, it further innovates by taking the quality and scope of its menu to a whole new level. Emeril Lagasse himself re-envisioned those stadium classics and added a host of comfort cuisine – sandwiches, appetizers and desserts that I think will hit a home run with diners.
Image: IS Photography
Related:
ETC lighting products help Palazzo Las Vegas achieve LEED standard and establish a new industry benchmark
Themed Design: At Shakespeare's Birthplace, the project management of visitor emotions
Dubai: Themed Design and Architecture Straight from the Catwalk
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
Attractions Business: Meet me in Las Vegas (IAAPA booth 4524)
We at Blooloop want to meet you in Las Vegas during the IAAPA Attractions Expo Nov 17-20. Please stop by our booth for a chat (# 4524). Blooloop will be podcasting and blogging live from the show, so bring along some witty remarks and observations, too, and you might get interviewed or otherwise included in our coverage! We will also have our signature giveaways: some Blooloop pens (soon to be in much demand on eBay) and our genuine clotted-cream Devon fudge...
For me personally, the IAAPA show is a precious opportunity to spend time in person with Blooloop readers and clients in the States, as well as the members of Blooloop's US team (Judith Rubin, Tracy Kahaner and Chad Emerson). It's part of the value we bring to you that we are geographically well distributed on both sides of the Atlantic. But that distance also means we should make the most of this chance to meet old and new friends in person.
And as a web-based business is by definition to some degree intangible, the trade show setting brings in the living, breathing, human component – the faces, voices and personalities – yours and ours. With Blooloop now bookmarked and read daily by tens of thousands of key industry executives, relied upon as the source for up to the minute attractions industry news and features, the individuals behind this content will be at our booth, shaking hands and trying not to overdose on fudge. We aim to support our clients and the industry and create long lasting relationships, so sharing a beer after hours is also a vital part of the week.
In short, please do visit our booth at IAAPA. We are eager to meet you! Tell us about your experience of Blooloop, your suggestions, how we can make your visits to the site even better so that we can continue to up our game and respond to the industry’s developments. You can also ask us questions, find out about how Blooloop can help your business and vastly improve your own web profile. Tell us about your business and how Blooloop can support you - we are very eager to hear your project news. Come and see us, say hello and meet the people behind the screen.
A recent mention by Jason Garcia of The Orlando Sentinel is a testament to Blooloop's growing standing in the industry (see Web site interviews current and former Disney World execs).
So, to those of you travelling to the expo, have a safe trip and a successful show and I look forward to meeting you at either our booth (4524) or at one of the many after hours parties.
Image: thanks to Christian from Christian Hope Designs.
See also:
Amusement Parks: IAAPA Attractions Expo Heads to Las Vegas for the First Time in the Event’s 90-Year History!
Show Control: Alcorn McBride to Show Three New Products at IAAPA
Shooting Galleries: A wide range of amusement skills from Pan Amusements on show at IAAPA
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Amusement Parks: Paulton's Park pickle - update
It appears that Paulton's Park may try to get clearance from the NPA
for the Cobra roller coaster as it may be the quieter of the 2 rides
and did not garner near as much criticism by the park's opposition as
did the newly installed Edge Disk-O coaster. Besides, the Edge is probably the easier ride to relocate of the two...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Amusement Parks: Paulton's Park pickle underscores the importance of prior planning approval for new rides or attractions
Business owners at times forget the control local and regional
governments have over the development of their business or real property...
Greg Van Gompel
Paulton's Park near Ower in the UK recently experienced this first-hand when it was discovered that two of the park's most popular rides may be operating without planning permission.
During the summer, it was reported in the local media (an Aug 10 story in the Daily Echo) that the Cobra and Edge rides at Paulton's Park may be operating without planning permission. The Cobra is a Gerstlauer steel coaster that debuted in 2006 and Edge is a Zamperla Disk-O coaster that debuted this year. The New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) asked Paulton’s to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate to "regularise" the planning situation.
Paulton’s agreed to apply for permission for Cobra and Edge. Moreover, Paulton’s sought to change the real property designation of the site of these two ride from “country park” to “amusement park.” Its seeking a change of property designation probably necessitates that the NPA must give stricter scrutiny of the planning criteria for that parcel. Not only does the designation change mean that the NPA would more closely examine the application, it also suggests that Paulton’s may have been aware that the property may not be covered under permitted development rights. Unfortunately for Paulton’s, by seeking some form of retroactive permission for the rides, the opposition is well-armed with operational and traffic data from the 2006, 2007, 2008 and one-half of 2009 operating seasons making it easier for them to present their resistance to the request.
It’s not like this incident was Paulton’s first experience with property planning. Hampshire County Council documents show that back in 1990, the County Planning Officer and County Surveyor recommended to the New Forest District Council to object to proposed development at Paulton’s on the grounds that the development was contrary to Policy E1 of the South Hampshire Structure Plan: First Alteration, which seeks generally to restrict development in the countryside. Concerns were raised about environmental impact and accommodating the likely increase in traffic.
This previous opposition to development on the site should have placed Paulton’s on notice about the difficulty of getting approval for development on its property. Paulton’s should have been more pro-active with the NPA to ascertain what was included under permitted development rights and what would necessitate applying for extended rights on the property in question.
At first blush, it appeared that Paulton’s had dodged a big problem. A followup news report in the Oct 14 Daily Echo indicated that it was expected the NPA would probably approve Paulton's belated application and allow the two rides to remain, although there were protests from the community. However, the Romsey Advertiser reported on Oct 23 that the NPA, in a 7 to 5 vote, refused Paulton's application, counter to a planning officer's recommendation.
While we don’t yet know the ultimate outcome of this situation and whether or not the rides will be required to be dismantled, we do know that in the short term, an enforcement notice will be served on Paulton’s before Christmas, but the rides would be open during the upcoming half-term holiday. To insure that they get the maximum benefit from the rides, it appears likely that Paulton’s would appeal the NPA’s decision and continue to operate the rides until an appeals decision is made and an enforcement action then commenced, if Paulton's expected appeal proves to be unsuccessful.
What can we learn from Paulton’s predicament? Don’t assume that your new ride, attraction or building will meet all the permitting requirements. Get to know the local and regional planning directors that have authority over your property. They can steer you through several of the landmines and potholes you’ll encounter in getting the proper approval for your improvement. But don’t stop at the planning directors. Relationships with your local town, village or city council members are important as well. You need to educate them so they know and understand your business and what you’re trying to accomplish with the property improvement. On occasion, invite these individuals to meet with you so you can provide them with a proposed 3-5 year property outlook at your business for planning purposes. It need not be specific but for any major improvements to your park, you should give them a ballpark idea of the length, width and height dimensions that you will need. By educating your zoning and planning decision-makers, they can keep your needs in mind when determining broad-based zoning issues and both sides will understand the reason and needs for your new park or attraction improvement.
See also:
Amusement Parks: Between a Rock and a Hard Rock...
Waterparks: Chemicals and Safety
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Friday, October 09, 2009
Theme Parks: Weighing in on Blackstone's purchase of the Busch parks
Ever since the international beverage giant InBev acquired Busch Corp.
a little over a year ago ,
it has been expected that InBev would spin off the parks division.
Swimming rapidly through the industry is the news that the private
equity firm Blackstone has stepped up...
by Judith Rubin
(see: Anheuser-Busch InBev Reaches Agreement to Sell Busch Entertainment Corporation to Blackstone)
Blackstone's attractions empire under the operational umbrella of Merlin Entertainments was already extensive, with ownership or interests in Lego parks, Universal parks and Madame Tussauds, among others.
We polled some former executives and employees of Busch Entertainment Corp. about the transfer, asking “What advice do you have for the new owners of the Busch parks? What priorities should they have? What should they hold dear?”
Alan Stein President at sky's the limit international
Former corporate director, entertainment, Busch Entertainment Corp.
“Obviously this is a milestone in the history of Busch Entertainment. This company is blessed with tremendous leadership. From Jim Atchison, the CEO, and the entire corporate team, through the individual park management to the front line worker, what this team has in spades is PASSION. That's why there's such little turnover at BEC. From the animal trainers to the entertainment teams, from design and entertainment to HR to revenue, to marketing and everyone in between, this is a dedicated, committed, strategic and unbelievably talented team that simply loves what they do.
“From what I hear of Blackstone, they tend to keep current management in place, which would be terrific. I think this is a great day for BEC/Worlds of Discovery, one full of optimism and hope for the future as an independent company that comes from an endowed tradition of quality and extraordinary leadership to a bright new future. I could not be more pleased for my many wonderful colleagues. This is indeed a positive, exciting step forward in the history of this great organization.”
Jumana Brodersen President at The J Co., LLC
Former corporate director of creative development at Busch Entertainment Corp.
“Overall, I think it is a good thing for BEC, especially that they will be able to keep names and brands. Atchison is a savvy leader who truly cares. It sounds like he got a great offer and was able to protect the structure of the organization and his employees. What a great thing to get, especially in this economy.
“With an organization like Blackstone that understands the entertainment industry, I am sure they will continue the legacy of Busch and spend the appropriate capital to keep the parks competitive and relevant.
“Time will tell.”
Elaine Swanger Principal at Elaine Swanger Designs
Former design manager at Anheuser-Busch Companies
“A lot of good people left the company when it moved its headquarters to Orlando, people who were responsible for some of the spectacular recent attractions, entertainment programs, and marketing campaigns. Development of new projects has been on hold for a year, and it will be great to see the parks get back on track.
“The top priority should be fast tracking some smaller projects. Disney and Universal have not stopped planning, and have new attractions to interest visitors. BEC/Worlds of Discovery should focus on some facelift-style projects at all the parks to have something to promote in 2010 and 2011.
“As far as what to hold dear: one of the best things about the parks is the earnest commitment to animal care, to education, and to giving the guests the best emotional connection to the animals. Every new attraction should have that connection as its foundation.”
Linda Smith President, Smithink, Inc.
Former corporate VP, brand management, Busch Entertainment Corp.
“The timing of the sale of the Busch Entertainment parks is quite exquisite, as it was exactly 20 years ago this November that Anheuser-Busch purchased the SeaWorld parks. Over the past 20 years, the quality and depth of the guest experience at all of Busch Entertainment’s parks has increased dramatically, as has the value of their brands.
“With a long-term strategic plan to evolve both the product and strengthen the brands, with prudent risk taking and a strong leadership team, Busch Entertainment has become one of the most highly regarded theme park owners and operators around the world. The experiences at their parks are unrivaled for their authenticity, their appeal to the whole family and the ability to gain a greater understanding for the world we share, through up-close encounters with the largest animal collection in the world (a responsibility that BEC takes very seriously).
“We are thrilled for BEC, now known as Worlds of Discovery, as they begin a new chapter in the company’s history and begin to chart a new strategic plan for their continued success.”
David Smith CEO, Smithink, Inc.
Former corporate VP, entertainment, Busch Entertainment Corp.
“Blackstone is purchasing one of the true gems in the theme park industry which includes a terrific portfolio of parks and a management team with a deep commitment to quality. With Blackstone being a highly respected private investment company with experience in the industry, Busch Entertainment is surely grateful to have a new owner with genuine interest in its long term performance.
“In a world of changing tourist patterns, changing entertainment preferences and a new generation of family values, I am hopeful that Blackstone recognizes BEC’s unique position in the industry and supports continued capital investment, enabling BEC to continue shaping all aspects of its product as it has done so well in the past.
“Over the last 20 years BEC has completely transformed its SeaWorld product and made all its parks more appealing, more popular, more profitable... and more valuable. It has wisely extended its brands and strengthened its product offerings. I am hopeful that under Blackstone’s ownership that BEC will given the opportunity to build upon this momentum and prove to be a wise investment.”
See also:
Transitioning from Corporate to Independent in the Themed Entertainment Business
Theme Parks: Fun For Mom at Manta
Alan and the Whales: Theme park design & animal attractions for Busch Entertainment
Theme Park Design and Project Interruptus – David and Linda Smith of Smithink, former Busch Entertainment execs, carry on
Amusement Parks: Busch Corp.’s Themed Entertainment Legacy in St. Louis
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Thursday, October 08, 2009
Telescopes, planetariums & digital domes: Stargazing on the White House Lawn
We have received interesting news and images from friends in the
planetarium community. A “star party” took place at the White House the
evening of 7 Oct...
Marcus Weddle, marketing director of Sky-Skan, provider of digital dome systems, wrote, “The White House is inviting school children to use telescopes on the lawn. We're sending Martin Ratcliffe, director of professional development here at Sky-Skan along with a Definiti PD II digital planetarium system.” Joe Halvorson of the Minnesota Planetarium Society sent photos taken at the event, shown here.
Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post wrote: “The South Lawn of the White House was littered with some 20 telescopes and what might be called portable planetariums -- inflated tents with images of the universe projected on the ceiling. This was the Obama "star party," a night for astronomy with 150 Washington-area students.”
The portable dome in these photos is The Elumenati's proprietary portable immmersive learning environment, the GeoDome Theater. “White House staff selected the GeoDome as one of the exhibits NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center brought to the event,” noted Elumenati communicatrix Hilary McVicker. Also pictured, gazing at the White House and showcasing his company logo on the back of his shirt, is Elumenati co-founder Dr. D'nardo Colucci, one of the minds behind the GeoDome, which combines the OmniFocus SX3 projection system with the OpenDome OPF-6.5 and SCISS's Uniview software.
High-resolution news
Sky-Skan's Weddle reports installing “the world's second Definiti 8K system (only other 8K resolution system from any vendor was our Definiti 8K theater in Beijing last year for the Olympics). And the only topper to this theater on the horizon is our Definiti 3D 8K system going into Macao Science Centre later this year. That will be 8K, but also 3D stereo (with the 3D glasses but with advanced filters from Infitec that make 3D look stunning in the dome).”
Hemispherical projection shootout!
Operators of dome theaters in science centers and museums running large-format (70mm) film systems were presented with an interesting alternative at the Giant Screen Cinema Association Dome Day, held two weeks ago at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Sky-Skan provided a world-premiere demo of Sony's newest and brightest SXRD projector: the T420. Weddle says, “We set it up as a Definiti 4K system, but just one projector for half-dome coverage. With all of the giant-screen experts in attendance wanting to see how far digital had come over film, we put on quite a show! We actually had both analog film and the identical digital content screened at the same time using the Imax projector and our Definiti digital system with the new Sony projector.”
Another kind of star party
Ed Lantz, of Vortex Immersion Media, will speak about the transformative potential of digital dome theaters, 3D immersive cinema and the latest cutting-edge media technologies, at an event in Los Angeles on Mon. 16 Nov, “The Future of Arts, Media & Entertainment.” Lantz is co-founder of the nonprofit trade group IMERSA (Immersive Media, Entertainment, Research, Science & Arts) The event is hosted by c3:Center for Conscious Creativity in collaboration with IMERSA and Creative Visions Foundation. Following Lantz's briefing, futurist Jerome Glenn, the Director of the Millennium Project, will introduce the “2009 State of the Future” report and speak about the future of arts, media and entertainment and their effects on global culture. Details at www.c3visionlab.com.
All images: by D'nardo Colucci
See also:
Special Venue Media: National Space Centre Planetarium Becomes latest Global Immersion DIY Install
Special Venue Media: Global Immersion Wins AV Award for California Academy of Sciences Planetarium
Fulldome: Global Immersion's Martin Howe talks about the Morrison Planetarium at the new California Academy of Sciences
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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
African Zoos and Aquariums Gathering in Uganda
In May 2009, the uShaka Sea World team had the opportunity to attend
the annual African Association for Zoos and Aquariums (PAAZAB)
conference. For the first time in 20 years the conference was held
outside of South Africa...
By Judy Mann , director of Sea World at uShaka Marine World , South Africa.
– making it the first truly African zoo and aquarium conference! Hosted by the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) and held at the Imperial Beach Resort on the banks of Lake Victoria in Entebbe, the conference was both valuable and enjoyable. Usually a conference is judged by the number of attendees, the number of papers and the duration of the networking events. Despite fewer than 50 attendees, fewer presentations than in previous years and earlier nights, the conference was amazing. Those who made the effort to attend the conference were rewarded by very warm welcomes from the Ugandans, meaningful interactions with other delegates, inspiring presentations by people working under difficult circumstances and two fantastic field trips – one to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and one to the UWEC zoo. What the conference lacked in size, it made up for in a genuine African spirit of collaboration, communication and enthusiasm.
The post conference tour was simply AMAZING. After the 10-hour drive from Entebbe to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, through subsistence agriculture, huge tracts of obvious deforestation, past small roadside villages on terrible ‘roads’ complete with crazy drivers, we were ready to give up on African conservation completely. However, the warm welcome at the Buhoma Community Camp, the sun setting over the legendary forest and the hundreds of incredible bird calls were all that we needed to get our enthusiasm back. The next morning, after a short introduction and some stern words from our guide Augustine, who informed us that if we were not fit enough to climb the mountain we would be sent home to do more ‘joggings’, we set off, with an entourage of porters, guards and guides, to find the gorillas.
After a walk of about an hour we were told that the gorillas were in sight. We quietly, with constrained excitement, approached a young male, who sat in the path. Dr Mark Penning (CEO and WAZA new President) [WAZA is World Association of Zoos and Aquariums] moved to sit, about 5m away, also on the path. The male calmly approached Mark, sat down and, staring intently into Mark’s eyes, placed his hand on Mark’s shoulder. You could have cut the emotion in the group with a knife as we all watched this incredible incident take place. Words cannot explain our feeling of wonder, amazement, joy and sadness, as we witnessed this encounter between a wild mountain gorilla and a person. We saw the rest of the group, more young males, a mother and her eight month old youngster and the huge silverback, all calmly going about their daily routine of eating, sleeping, walking and grooming. It was an amazingly emotional experience that reaffirmed our commitment at uShaka Sea World to conservation. Africa needs Africans to care enough to do something to help conserve the amazing ecosystems and animals that make up this crazy, mixed up and ultimately incredible continent.
The uShaka Sea World team returned home with new commitment to conservation and renewed energy for our work. We are privileged to work in an industry that cares – we are proud to work for an organisation that translates caring into action for conservation!
See also:
Transformation of New York Aquarium announced
Museums and Special Venue Media: A Conversation with Steve Judson and Chris Palmer of MacGillivray Freeman Films, leader in Giant-Screen Cinema
Alan and the Whales: Theme park design & animal attractions for Busch Entertainment
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Judy Mann
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Attractions Business, Zoos & Aquaria
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conference, ushaka, uwec, waza
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