So here's what happened.
I got a routine request for an interview from a blogger. This happens ALL the time. It is our policy to give EVERYONE equal attention, from high school students doing a class project to the NBC Nightly news. Steven, the guy you see in the VLOG, showed up here at the appointed time. We "rapped" (as the kids say), and I gave him out tale of financial hardship. He left, and I went back to fixing pinball machines.
Unknown to me, Steven was working on getting LINKED (as the kids say) to others who might have an interest in helping. Well, he found A GUY. He was told to come over and pick up a check for the total amount we needed to finish up. We didn't want his name revealed, so from this day forward, he will just be "The Guy". Strangely enough, I knew him, having gone over to his house about 10 years ago. He is a very nice guy, he had been following our progress from the rental space next to the movie theater to our building on Trop, and I guess it all came together.
I am going to let the Gofundme run for a while longer. One reason is that we are going to have a full page article in the Washington Post Sunday travel section this weekend, and a few more bucks might flow in.
On the building front, we are waiting for a final permit and installation of a monitor on the fire riser to detect water movement and alert an alarm company. Then we will call for a final inspection, and the Fire Department will clear us to move in equipment and set up, BUT NOT OPEN FOR BUSINESS. That will take another set if inspections from the BULDING DEPARTMENT and PUBLIC WORKS. Then we get our Certificate of Occupancy, and we can open AFTER we switch the business licenses from Trop to the Strip. We have to be out of our old space by April 5th, or pay a very large rent for more time. That gives us 30 days to get stuff sitting in the Hit Shed ready to PLUG AND GO, brought over, and stuff from Trop that will not be needed on the Strip put back in the Hit Shed. Then, as we get closer to the wire, we will start to empty Trop, one load at a time, and one night close there for ever, and open the next morning on the Strip.
This is a VERY soft opening. It will allow us to work on getting stuff running, while the public gets the chance to keep having fun without interruption.
As far as a GRAND OPENING, I am thinking that it should happen the evening of JULY 1st. The big annual Jukebox and Game Operators trade show will be ending at the Convention Center, and many industry people will be able to attend, along with anyone who has contributed to our efforts. I doubt we will be at 700 games on that date, but we will give it our best. I will announce more details soon.
Last of all, I must THANK everyone who helped. The outpouring of good wishes and kind words has lifted our spirts as well as our ability to finish.