'In the Queue': On the Home Page

So this little experiment of ours has been going pretty well since launching last fall (though we welcome any comments on how we can improve—or you can e-mail me). The goal when we started was to post twice a week and, with a few exceptions, we've been hitting that mark pretty well.

Still, we want to make it as easy as possible for our readers to know when there's new content on the blog. Today we've updated IAAPA's official home page with a new "In the Queue" section (it's in the center column) that will be updated every time we post something new. Hopefully this will make it simpler for everyone to keep tabs on the blog without having to click over here in hopes of a new post.

And, as always, thanks again for checking us out. We hope it's been beneficial for you.

ADA Comment Period Closes

After a whirlwind 60 days, the comment period on the proposed ADA regulations for recreation facilities closed yesterday. IAAPA submitted its own comment on the proposed rules as well as a comment specifically on the miniature golf provisions. It was a collaborative effort between by IAAPA, the International Association for the Leisure and Entertainment Industry (IALEI), and the Miniature Golf Association of the United States (MGAUS). Additionally, many industry members submitted their own public comments on the rules directly to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

We had hoped the comment period would be extended into the fall to give more of our members time to read the regulations and comment on them, but that did not happpen. I am actually a little relieved this part of the process is complete—there were many long days and a lot of hard work leading up to the deadline.

The next step is for DOJ to publish a final rule to make the accessibility guidelines "official." The buzz around town is that this will happen before the next administration takes office (January 20, 2009), but there are no guarantees if the government will hit that target or not. IAAPA will notify its members when the rule is finalized.

September FUNWORLD: Watch for It!

The September issue of FUNWORLD shipped out yesterday, so hopefully all of you will receive your copy soon. The cover story this month details the inspiring tale of Harry Haynes, who owns and operates an FEC in Brooklyn, New York.

The whole thing began with an Industry Notes item our news editor, Keith Miller, wrote back in February 2007 about this newest and biggest FEC in New York. Only this facility has one attraction you definitely wouldn't expect: a computer lab! So even though Keith wrote about this education-minded FEC last year, the notion of such a strong FEC-inspired educational outreach never left his brain. When he started to investigate into Madd Fun further for this month's story, he discovered Haynes has a powerful personal story of overcoming obstacles, and Haynes' facility has become a place of peace and neutral ground among many divergent people groups in a tough NYC neighborhood. For the full scoop, naturally, you have to grab your copy of FUNWORLD when it hits your mailbox.

Other excellent reasons to open the mag this month:

• FUNWORLD Editor at Large Tim O'Brien profiles the "Year of the Frog," a worldwide conservation effort to save the little amphibians.
• Contributing Editor Mike Bederka discovers 10 ways FECs can improve their web sites, and looks at the booming popularity of bowling—both physical and virtual.
• Juliana Gilling interviews authors extraordinaires Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore, experts in authenticity, and how their insights apply to the amusement industry.

And, of course, there's much more. Enjoy! And feel free to drop me a line about any of these stories—yay or nay—either in the comment section below or via e-mail.

Last Call: ADA Comments

My colleague Stephanie Thienel has posted about this before, but on her behalf let me remind you that final comments on the proposed changes to ADA regulations are due this coming Monday, which means she needs any comments from members right away.

You can check out the new regulations here. The association has put together a web site here to help clarify how these changes would affect businesses in our industry.

You can e-mail Stephanie with your comments and/or questions at sthienel@IAAPA.org. Don't miss this great opportunity to make your voice heard on behalf of the industry.

Is it February Yet?

Last month I had the glorious opportunity to visit the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas, as part of a photo shoot for the October issue of FUNWORLD. Besides my responsibilities for the magazine, I saw it as a scouting mission for IAAPA Connections 2009, which will be held at Atlantis in February.

Connections, you say? What?? Let me explain …

For years IAAPA has hosted an annual Summer Meeting, a special event where industry leaders get together for networking and a generally fabulous, relaxing time. This year's Summer Meeting is Sept. 27-29, in Munich, Germany, and will mark the final installment of this event in its present iteration (I'll be there, so chat me up if you see me). The new Connections format will be different in that it will have more educational opportunities, with keynote addresses and such from some of the industry's top minds, focusing on pressing issues of the day.

But there's plenty of time to talk about the new program. What I'm telling you right now is Atlantis will be a great place to kick this new event off right. While I only had about 36 hours on property, I made a point to see as much of it as possible. As you can see from this map, there's a lot there to cover. The resort literally takes up an entire island, complete with its own over-water access bridge from Nassau. The entire facility—with its multiple hotel towers, pools, spa, casino, restaurants, shops, convention center, and more—felt like someone had scooped up a lavish Las Vegas property and dropped it into the Caribbean.

And speaking of the Caribbean, wow, the beaches and water are phenomenal. Soft, white sand leads into crystal-clear water that, in mid-July anyway, was pleasantly warm. Our FUNWORLD story will focus, in part, on Atlantis' Blue Project, which deals with coral reef conservation, among other environmental issues. As part of the resort's Blue Adventures program, I got to take a ride out to a nearby reef for some snorkeling (awesome!). One of our friendly guides told us this particular site (seen in the photo above, courtesy of photographer Tim Aylen), was used in the filming of the 1965 James Bond classic movie "Thunderball." How cool is that? Atlantis is no stranger to Hollywood, either; a glance at the resort's Wikipedia page shows it's played host to the sitcom "Friends" and most recent Bond flick "Casino Royale," among other productions.

So, yeah, Atlantis is a cool place. IAAPA has a lot of great events going on between now and Connections, but there's no way I could've contained my excitement until the new year. Hope to see you there …

Crypto Update

In recent weeks, there have been a number of news stories about public pools being forced to close after they tested positive for Cryptosporidium. Crypto is a highly-contagious, chlorine-resistant parasite which causes diarrhea and is usually transmitted through fecal matter.

In February, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) published Fecal Accident Response Recommendations to provide guidance on preventing Crypto outbreaks and other recreational water illnesses (RWIs). While the title of the publication may elicit a few smirks, RWIs are really no laughing matter.

We encourage all pool operators to review the CDC recommendations to prevent future outbreaks. Operators should also check their state and local guidelines to see if additional steps are needed.

Loss of a Friend: Elaine College, Busch Entertainment Corporation

IAAPA lost a good friend and partner this week with the passing of Elaine College, vice president of entertainment at Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Florida. Elaine has been involved with the association since 2004, including three years as chair of our entertainment committee.

My colleague Eamon Connor worked closely with Elaine in that role, as the two of them cooperated in planning the annual Big E Awards at IAAPA Attractions Expo, which honors the best and brightest in all forms of amusement park entertainment. Eamon described Elaine as "the perfect blend of coach, mentor, and leader." He said she was a tireless recruiter for participation in the association, and several of her fellow entertainment committee members are on that panel because of her.

“She really knew how to get the best out of a team and made everyone feel part of the success of whatever project she was involved in," Eamon told me. "She had a passion about the impact that live entertainment makes in the attractions business, and that was reflected in her sterling work in Big E Awards and other events at IAAPA.”

As is typically too often the case when someone you know dies, I've found out more about Elaine this past week than I ever knew about her before. I would encourage everyone to read this article in today's St. Petersburg Times, which highlights what a true pioneer Elaine was in this industry (she was the first female executive at Busch Gardens Africa). It also includes an excerpt from a piece she wrote in 1994 detailing her terrible battle with lupus.

I first met Elaine during IAAPA Attractions Expo 2004 in Orlando, when I covered a behind-the-scenes tour of Busch Gardens Africa's new stage show, "KaTonga." Only on the job for three weeks, I had very little idea of what in the world I was doing there. Elaine, maybe even sensing how in over my head I felt, treated me kindly that day, answering any questions I had, and we worked together off and on ever since. Whenever I had an entertainment-related question—whether it was BEC-related or not—she was the first person I contacted. It was at her urging that we looked into French park Puy du Fou, which ended up on the cover of the July FUNWORLD, and was one of our best stories of the year so far.

Busch Gardens Africa will hold a memorial for Elaine Aug. 10 (call +1 813/987-5322 for info), which is quite fitting. According to BEC CEO Jim Atchison, as quoted in today's St. Pete Times, Elaine was in the core group of executives who helped transform that park into a well-rounded entertainment destination: "We started to endeavor to make it a whole attraction. Elaine was one of a handful of people who really got that going. It's just amazing and speaks to the significance of her skills."

Elaine College will definitely be missed.