The White House's Health Care Proposal

As some of you may have seen, President Obama released his health care reform proposal yesterday. The 11-page document is an executive summary of ideas, some from existing legislation, and some entirely new ones that will fuel Thursday’s much-publicized (and public) “Bipartisan Meeting.”

It’s important to note that the President’s proposal is not in “legislative language,” which means while there are broad ideas for what the bill should do, there’s no explanation of how it will be accomplished. There are no details in the summary, including how part-time and seasonal workers will be treated under the president’s plan, which is the part of the legislation that will most impact the attractions industry. When the legislative language is released, we will know more and can take action on the proposal.

As for the process, the Senate no longer has its filibuster-proof supermajority of 60 votes, so there has been talk in Washington of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid using the budget reconciliation process to pass the final incarnation of the health care bill. Special rules in the Senate allow for “reconciliation” bills to be passed with only 51 votes—a much easier hurdle for Senator Reid to clear. House bills only need a simple majority to pass and if Speaker Pelosi can hold her caucus together (which may not be easy), she can attain this number.

Curious IAAPA members should read through the president’s proposal—since it’s a summary, it’s a quick but interesting read—and if they can, tune in for the meeting on Thursday (it will also be shown live on C-SPAN 3 beginning at 10 a.m. EST). After we’ve gotten more details about the treatment of part-time and seasonal workers, we’ll contact our U.S. members about action they can take.

February Webinar: Drive Party Sales

Need to boost your birthday party business or group sales program? During this month’s IAAPA webinar, Sheryl Bindelglass, president and founder of marketing firm SherylGolf, will share tips you can put to use right away to increase revenue.

“Extreme Birthday Party Makeover: The Party Examples Continue,” takes place Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m. EST. As part of the discussion, she asks participants to send examples of their party marketing materials, which she will review during the webinar. In the Queue caught up with Bindelglass this week to find out more about this session.

Birthday parties are a core part of the FEC business. Why is it important to keep things fresh?
When you’re dealing with repeat customers you may get people who come back to your facility year after year and have the same child have two or three birthday parties with you. They’re looking to see what you’ve changed, to see what’s new and what’s different—whether you’ve added a new attraction or you’ve added a new value to the package.

In these budget-conscious days, what are some examples of small affordable changes that can boost revenue?
The first thing I’d recommend is to go back and look at your packages and see how you can repackage or rebrand them. Can you put a package together that used to be $9.99 a child and add value to it—whether it’s an extra ride or a couple dollars in the video arcade area? What can you do to have a greater perceived value and make that $9.99 package a $12.99 so you’re getting a greater per cap per person? You always want to create upsells. If you attend the webinar, you will learn some key tricks on how to be successful with upsells.

Who do you recommend participate in this webinar?
Anyone and everyone who would like to host a birthday party or celebration at their facility, whether it’s an amusement park, a family fun center, a farm, a museum, or an aquarium. Even if you’re in the party business, you will still learn new and improved ways to make more money with party packages.
We’ve heard from family fun centers, a children’s museum, a haunted attraction, a farm, a waterpark, a very diverse group of locations, ranging from small facilities to large operations. The same core principles apply whether it’s a small change of looking at your flier and noticing you don’t even have your web site on it, or looking on your web site and finding you’re missing key information that could help you sell more packages. You should learn at least one or two golden nuggets you can implement within an hour after the webinar. Quick, easy, inexpensive, even free things you will be able to do immediately after the session. You will not have to wait months to make some of these quick-fix recommendations.

Though FECs do a lot of birthday party business, are there general group sales concepts other facilities can learn from this session?
Do you know what your sales numbers are? What your goals are? Does your whole company understand how important it is to reach your goals? I’ll talk about obtainable goals and what can you do to motivate your staff to sell.

You’ve welcomed attendees to submit samples for this webinar. What types of materials are you looking for, and what can participants expect to learn from your evaluations?
We’re looking for your flier, web site, or anything that ties into your birthday party. We’re going to pick several examples and show you how little changes can have a big impact.

To register or learn more on IAAPA’s e-learning programs, click here.

State Legislation Preview

Apologies for the lack of posts lately; in case you haven’t heard by now, the Washington, DC, area was covered in a record-breaking amount of snow last week. We’re (mostly) dug-out now, so we're back at the blogging game once more.

I’ve been updating the State Bill Tracker on IAAPA’s Capwiz site and I came across a few bills of interest to the attractions industry:

Maryland Waterpark Legislation
Waterpark members may remember similar legislation introduced last session in Maryland. Called “Connor’s Law” in honor of a child who drowned in a country club pool, HB 273 calls for a 1:25 lifeguard-to-swimmer ratio in all Maryland pools. The bill was referred to the Health and Government Operations Committee for a hearing.

Florida Parental Waiver Legislation
Two years ago, a Florida court held that a pre-injury release executed by a parent on behalf of a minor child is unenforceable against the minor or the minor's estate in a tort action arising from injuries resulting from participation in a commercial activity. In plain English: a parent can't sign a liability waiver for his or her child.

This decision had a substantial impact on go-kart and other attractions operations in the state of Florida. This legislation (HB285/SB1578) seeks to restore the right of a parent to sign a liability waiver for his or her child. Similar legislation was introduced last session but did not make it to final passage. This session the legislation has been introduced earlier in the session, giving it better chances for passage. The legislation was referred to the Judiciary Committee in the Senate and the Criminal & Civil Justice Policy Council in the House.

School Start Date Legislation
There are several legislative proposals this year addressing the school calendar. IAAPA tracks these proposals for members, since obviously the school calendar has a big impact on the industry:

Indiana - SB 150

Tennessee - SB 3088

Virginia - HB 1111

IAAPA tracks legislation in every state and notifies members when action is needed, but we usually don’t lobby directly at the state level. Many states have state or regional associations that work closely with IAAPA and lobby on legislation that has the potential to affect the industry, but if your state doesn't, or if you’re looking for some additional guidance, please feel free to contact us.

IAAPA Attractions Expo Played Role in Merlin/Cypress Gardens Deal

Merlin Entertainments Group CEO Nick Varney speaks at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008
(photo by Digital Imaging Direct)

So turns out IAAPA Attractions Expo helped get the Merlin/Cypress Gardens deal rolling, which in 2011 will see a Legoland built in Central Florida.

According to this story in The Ledger of Winter Haven, Florida (the local paper for Cypress Gardens), Merlin first made inquiries about the property in summer 2008, and officials on both sides of the deal agreed to meet in November of that year during IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008 in Orlando.

Merlin CEO Nick Varney was in town because he was a keynote speaker for the annual General Managers and Owners' Breakfast. So he took time out to visit the park during Expo week and, according to the Ledger, it was "love at first sight." A little more than a year later, the deal was done, and now an East Coast Legoland is on deck for next year.

It's pretty cool to know such a big project got started at our trade show. The Expo returns to Orlando in November, so it's also pretty cool to imagine what kinds of deals could be started this time around.

Planning a trip to the U.S.? The Scoop on ESTA

If you are a citizen of a visa waiver program country, and planning to visit the U.S. anytime soon (maybe to attend IAAPA Attractions Expo?), you may want to take note:

Earlier this week, USA Today published an article about new requirements for travelers from visa waiver program countries coming into the United States. As of January 20, 2010, these travelers must now complete an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application before traveling or they risk not being able to board their departing flight. U.S. citizens returning from overseas or citizens of visa waiver program countries traveling on a valid U.S. visa do not need to complete this form.

ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel and are usually valid for up to two years (or until your passport expires, if that is within two years). The authorizations are valid for multiple entries into the United States, and the application is currently free, so there’s no real downside to completing a form as soon as you begin making your travel plans—or even now, if you’re planning to attend any spring committee meetings in the U.S. or IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando this November. Even if you are unsure of your travel plans, you can apply and just leave the travel information section blank.

The travel industry is urging the U.S. government and international airports to establish computer terminals where U.S.-bound travelers can complete their ESTA forms, but currently you must apply in advance – before you arrive at the airport. If you do not have an approved application, you can be prohibited from boarding your flight.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has created a web page where travelers can find information, answers to questions, and links to the online ESTA application.

Photo Update: Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter

UPDATE 1.28.10: This morning, Universal Orlando partnered with USA Today to premiere an Augmented Reality sneak peek of the Wizarding World. You can read the USA Today story here, or get started on the sneak peek here (you'll need a web cam hooked up to your computer).

***

I'm a little late on the up-post of this pic Universal sent out due to transportation issues in D.C. yesterday. Anyway, thought you might enjoy this photo of Hogwarts castle Uni sent out this week, as work progresses on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure in Orlando.


Hogwarts is the centerpiece icon/attraction of the new Potter-themed land set to open this spring at IOA. It goes without saying Wizarding World is one of the most anticipated attractions of 2010; in fact, I'd say it's one of the most anticipated attractions I've covered in more than five years with IAAPA.

I am looking forward to writing about all things Wizardly for FUNWORLD this year, so consider this a little taste of butterbeer to whet our appetite.

U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United Decision: What it means for IAAPA members

Last week, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision that substantially scales back previous campaign finance laws to allow corporations, associations, and unions to spend general treasury funds on independent expenditures. Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission overturns a previous ban on corporate spending for campaign advertisements and allows corporations to pay for ads that support or oppose federal candidates.

Simply put, IAAPA or one of its member companies in the U.S. can use corporate money to run a TV, radio, or newspaper ad or send a direct-mail piece to voters, advocating for the election or defeat of a specific candidate. Previously, corporate money could only be used for education pieces that did not specifically tell the audience to vote for or against a candidate.

Corporations that run these ads are still subject to Federal Election Commission disclosure requirements, so if you are thinking about getting involved in the 2010 midterm elections, I strongly recommend you consult an attorney who specializes in election law prior to running any ads. Corporations are also prohibited from “coordinating” with a campaign when producing the advertisements. “Coordination” may even include using the same consultants as a candidate, which is all the more reason to make sure an attorney is reviewing your plans.

The Citizens United decision also does not change the rules regarding direct contributions to candidates. These contributions still must be made in personal dollars (up to $2,300 per year, per candidate) and are still subject to Federal Election Commission reporting. Additionally, contributions to political parties still need to be made with personal money.

All this means Political Action Committees, such as IAAPA PAC, are still very important to the political process, because they allow individuals to pool their personal money together to get the most “bang for the buck.” IAAPA PAC members can give up to $5,000 per year to IAAPA PAC and IAAPA PAC can give up to $10,000 per election ($5,000 for a primary race and $5,000 for a general race) to candidates. The money given to IAAPA PAC does not count against individual limits to a candidate, so an IAAPA member can give both to the PAC and to candidates he or she supports.

IAAPA encourages all of its U.S. members to participate in IAAPA PAC and provides various opportunities for donors of all levels. For more information on these opportunities, please contact me.