Why wouldn't it be true?

I don’t think stern charges for the tour. You can call or email stern and have a free tour if they let you. lol

Bus transportation to get there I’m sure costs money.

Seems odd to me to expect free tours of a business' factory - gotta be a nuisance and distraction to have random customers wanting to see the factory every day. Probably lucky it's open to the public at all...

I would call it good PR which it is.

or good marketing. Our used to be local beer company AB does free tours and gives out their product for free as well at the end (limited of course). However, they use it to test new beers and they have a large gift shop. After being taken over from the Belgians, they still do the free tours, give beer, and offer goods in the gift shop.

The tour, if you purchase it a la carte at Expo, is indeed $50, no?

Yes it is...from the Expo registration page: _ADDITIONAL FACTORY TOUR ONLY $50 each

That's insulting to someone like me who was stupid enough to fork over $8500 for two recent machines. I really have to pay extra to see your f**king factory during a pinball show?

I'll drive down to JJP, who are always gracious enough to walk me around every time I visit...and sometimes even offer me a soda and sandwiches or pizza.

It’s true!

http://www.pinballexpo.net/registration.pdf

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Many companies that make something popular commonly have factory tours. Sam Adams, Magic Hat, Ben and Jerry's, Burton snowboards (back when they were solely in VT), Cape Cod potato chips...etc. we're all ones in the northeast. I think in all cases you go for free and either sample the product or get a piece of company swag (if not an edible product).

Having said that, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Stern would charge $50, and the tour is only of the parking lot.

That's the Pinball Expo price sheet which includes the bus ride to and from the hotel to Stern. I doubt Stern is open to the average "joe" for a tour.

Do a bit more research next time..

From reading down through posts in this topic, it sounds like Stern did not charge tour-goers, nor make any money from the tours.
Sounds like organizers of Pinball Expo charged people that wanted to go on the factory tour.
Which I assume is to cover their costs and services to provide transportation to the factory.

I heard they have a room out the back where if you hand over a Ben Franklin they'll show you everything.

Touching costs more though.

It’s to cover the bus rentals
But at $50 a person that probably is more than the bus company charges.
So either Expo or Stern is skimming the profits. My guess is expo.

You'd be surprised I was there in September

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I went with friends last year on a regular work day for them. No charge.

Was the tour this year 0.75 or 0.92? Personally, I'm waiting until they get the tour fully coded. I hear Lyman's working on it.

How much do you think it cost to charter a large bus all day? Are you guys seriously complaining about paying $50 to take a bus to and from a hotel to Expo? We are all cheap bastards-but C'mon.

As I read that, the tour's included with your admission packet, and the $50 is for extra non-Expo-attending people you want to drag along. Seems fair to me.

From what I remember, the $50 is only for the Thursday of Expo which includes a bus ride to and from. Now if you drive yourself, I don't believe you can even get in on the tour without having an Expo ticket on you. The tour is included in the full Expo package and if you want to buy an additional ticket for someone else it's $50. The buses they take are standard school buses, not touring coaches that most adults can fit in. I must have gotten WAY taller since high school as I have to sit at a 45 degree angle to barely fit. Definitely not worth the $50 IMHO.

Now if you want to go and visit Stern on any of the other 249 days of the year they are open, I believe it's free, unless this has recently changed.

We were walking back from Dunkin on Thursday around 9. One bus was full and 2 others were empty and when they left the 2 empty ones turned a different direction so I assume they were sent home.
Was the tour light on people this year?

Did you think the guy behind you with the pooper-scooper shovel and broom was doing that for fun?