I already stated in my first post that it may not be feasible. It is just a suggestion, and to me if it was possible it would be a no brainer. If they want to remain as a non-profit, etc. it may never work? I would rather offer suggestions even if they are not immediately feasible to try and ensure the survival of PHOF. Nobody knows what the future holds right now and we all are flying by the seats of our pants. Hoping PHOF can pull through with just donations, etc. and continue the business model they have always had.

I just showed my wife this thread and said am I crazy for suggesting they sell alcohol in a Las Vegas arcade? I actually think it is crazy people would thumbs down that suggestion?

My wife said if they are moving to the strip-it is hard to believe they will not be offering alcohol,Vegas is a town people like to go to drink, etc. She then said when we were there months ago, we would have spent more time there if they offered drinks, etc.

This is coming from my wife-who is really a non-pinhead

Again I hope Tim can keep things running the way they have been but if things do not start to change-may have to consider altering business model to accommodate current economic challenges. I do hope everything turns around quickly and PHOF can move on with business as usual.

I will say that when I have been there, it was always to take a break from gambling (losing) and I average about 5-6 hours in there for around $20.

I would gladly pay $40 to stay the same amount of time with the machines on free play. Each time I have gone, I was surprised at how much time flew by and how little I spent.

Putting it in perspective, depending on the table game, $40 is easily one bet. The PHOF is a nice break while in Vegas and worth plenty more than what you spend while there.

That said, his business model worked pre-COVID.

It seems like this may be what makes the PHOF so disappointing every time I have visited. Such a large percentage of the games were either completely down or should be because major features were not working. I've been there a few times over the years, first time in 2011 and last was 2019 and its pretty much been the same experience every time I visited although this last time may have been the worst. Last time I visited the flippers were so weak on Pinball Circus that you could barely get a ball up the ramp and only if you hit it perfectly after wasting $5 hoping it would get better, so I finished dropping the rest of the quarters I had in other games also some of which were not working right and just left rather than spending more time and money there like I intended to (and every time before that). It wasn't all bad, some games played great and I enjoyed those but far too many did not. Whatever volunteer tech help you have simply cannot keep up and you need a new resource plan for this. Hiring paid pinball techs could help solve that. I totally get keeping costs low and running lean and that's cool, but things like this make it a detriment to the bottom line and make me think twice about returning or contributing.

I think the PHOF is attractive to people who enjoy playing old EM's and woodrails, but for players that prefer modern era machines it is average. When I was there months back it seemed like a lot of machines were off (not for covid but for repairs). Half of the video games were down as well. I did really enjoy showing my children some of the rare machines like Goin Nuts and Pinball Circus. Someone posted a pic of a guy who just opened up an arcade bar I think in Tennessee and my jaw literally dropped. I was really impressed with the amount of pinball and video games in great shape. I want to copy his business model and bring it to Colorado.

Thanks for sharing this! Donation made. Come on, folks - let's get this done.

I'm a original donator, just donated again!!

Duly noted....

Alot of business models worked pre-covid .

I think the problem this place and other arcades/barcades are going to run into is the perception that covid is going to be "over" anytime soon. In Ohio anyway, we have barely scratched the surface on vaccinating healthcare workers, let alone the general mass population. We can't get people to stay home or wear masks and are constantly passing our case rate on a daily basis. The point of this isn't to bring politics into it, but to illustrate that it is going to be a LONG time before the US gets back to a pre-covid world and "normal".

All the people pulling together and fund raising for people and showing support is obviously great and very generous, but I'm not sure it's going to be enough or sustainable to keep places afloat. I love Vegas, and I love location pinball, but I'm not in a hurry to get back to either until me and my family are vaccinated, which looks like is going to be a while.

I donated and I've never been there. Good chance I will never go there. Nice to see the go fund me is closing in on 50K raised thus far!

We spent our honeymoon in Vegas 5 years ago, and we had a great time here.
Donated!

-Paul

There are some killer ink slingers in your area, see if they’ll donate some drawings for your future swag creations!!

Why the heck do you keep going back to a place that makes you so disappointed?

Tim has stated his business mode for 15 years and it's not gonna change.
-quarters not tokens or all day play
-all volunteer staff
-$$$ is for mortgage, power bill, game parts, merch and charity

He is testing food trucks outside so he doesn't have the hassle of making it, I don't know if he'll have inside seating/tables or not (I doubt it).
Once you allow food/drinks/beer inside, sure as shit you're gonna have several drunk idiots dump food and drinks on the games and puke all over the bathrooms.

Yeah, doesn't he ban people for simply slapping the glass?

Edit: Downvotes? Really? I'm just saying if glass slaps are verboten, he certainly won't risk dealing with drunks doing actually destructive things.

I'm in. Best of luck - hope to go back and enjoy the new location.
https://gofund.me/0ccf1d66

miracleman I honestly asked myself the same question, lol. I guess its because I love pinball and couldn't pass up the opportunity to play some Pinball Circus. I wish someone would remake that damn game already! As pinmister pointed out, many of the EM and woodrails are generally in better working condition than any of the different eras of SS games, so I enjoy that part of it. I would definitely not make the effort to go to the old Tropicana location any more, but if I'm in town and its walking distance on the strip I might. I just wont spend much and leave if it's status quo.

So, can we count on your donation?

Donated. I've visited PHOF a few times. Tim kindly allowed me to take photos of The Pinball Circus with the glass removed, which will be used in the upcoming Python issue of Pinball Magazine. During another visit, Tim invited me to visit the warehouse behind his house, taking pics of some very unique prototypes.

After seeing the size and height of the new building I was wondering: will there be an upper floor to double the size of it?

Based on the walk-through video, it sounds like it might be just one floor. But yeah, it looks like it is tall enough for two floors.

Now that's funny. If he had done better with maintenance in the past, absolutely I would.

Almost too tall. Might need a drop ceiling.

Does the PHOF have a Road Runner? I'm wondering where they live.

I was thinking the same thing originally but then I thought about Vegas and heat rising and then I realized that tall ceiling is likely to bring the cost of cooling way down. One thing I might have done differently would have been a second floor "parts department" over the work area just for some extra parts storage but otherwise I think the new building looks great.

If you think about it Tim has used the same "business model" for around 50 years and was able to retire by the time he was 40 years old using that model - why would he change now? Really a pretty simple concept - turn the lights & machines on each day and let people drop as many quarters into those machines as they would like. Think back to the 1970's & 1980's when you went into an arcade (if you are old enough to remember back that far) how often did all the machines in that arcade work? From my memory there were always machines with issues and other machines with "out of order" signs on them.

Bottom line is Tim has been doing pretty darn good for over 50 years I really don't think he needs advice how to run an arcade. Just some short term funds to get a new building open during this Corona Virus mess. (Who could have seen this coming two years ago when he started this project?)

This

I think the ceiling height is a air movement/cooling thing... the datacenters are are built like this now too. BUTTT.. you heard how loud it was in there just with him and a few things going on in there. Can you imagine what it would be like with 400+ arcade games going on?? Hope there is a plan how that will be handled.

Donated to the Gofundme! Will try to pitch in more soon.

When I visited the aircraft carrier at Tims Residence I recall seeing an Atari Road Runner and 4x4. Absolutely the most amazing game collection I have ever seen and played.

Well, one would hope there would be carpeting and things hanging on the walls for some sound deadening, but IDK if that's part of his plan or not. I know the Seattle Pinball Museum is kind of a nightmare to me with the noise. Hard floors and walls, and games shoved as close to together as possible, with EM chimes and bells adding to the din. Can't really hear any of the games in that environment.

But the acoustics will be a lot different in the space once everything is in there, regardless of the carpet situation, so who knows what it'll really be like.

Real arcades be loud

You forget, this IS Pinside, we are full of know it all's and presumptive advice.

I would assume hanging acoustic tiles or the ceiling covered in that acoustic foam?

If you can swing it : Designate a space or two for lease to local food trucks and get a rotation going with more than a few. Cross market with them. Can pull a lot of local suppor that way.
There's a company down there known as secretburger that might be able to help with that?

Good luck.

As one of them, I'll have you know it's "know-it-alls," with hyphens and no apostrophe.

The last time that Tim needed money, or at least was asking for it, I sent him some via paypal…October 7, 2019.

I believe that I was supposed to get a shirt for the amount I donated.

Well, I got no shirt and I got no acknowledgement that I had donated, even though a sent an email to Tim telling him to expect it. It would have taken all of 20 seconds to reply "Thanks".

So, no donation this time around from me. If you need to have volunteers and donations to keep your business afloat, then courtesy should be your middle name.

Robert

Outrageous! Inigo Montoya's got nothing on you! Maybe we should all pitch in and get Robert a t-shirt?

The new building is 50ft at the front and slopes to 34ft at the back.

I've read some of the posts on here and shake my head.

I've been to PHOF a dozen times throughout the years. Been addicted to pins since the early 1960's. (Yep: I'm old)

I've seeked Tim out most visits and although I knew he didn't remember me (why would he?), he's always been over the top friendly and respectful.

All he asks is to not have unsupervised kids running around, don't abuse the pins, and wear your mask while playing so he can stay open. Dude doesn't suffer fools which is why I like him.

Donated.

I understand what you are saying and while I do agree with you in a way I also need to look at this from the logical standpoint. Tim is basically a "one man band" trying to get a new 10 million dollar building built while trying to keep his old location open (and in the process sell the old building and get moved out on time) while keeping as many machines as possible running and in decent condition for his customers. So I can fully understand Tim not having time to send a personal "thank you" for every donation.

Anyone who has ever tried to have a house or building built (or even do renovations where permits are needed) knows how tough that process can be. So before being too negative towards Tim for not appreciating what people have done as far as donating to his couple fundraisers please think about all he has on his plate right now. Put yourself in his shoes and realize this is a guy working basically for free to preserve pinball machines and give the public a place to enjoy them while giving all the profits to charity.

Beyond that Tim is not the most "polished" business person you will ever meet. He is a "little rough around the edges" and will be the first one to admit that. In the end donate if you want - don't donate if you don't want to but remember PHOF is something bigger than just Tim and his dreams. This is a place to showcase the vintage pinball and arcade hobby to the general public as well as a place pinheads can enjoy.

With or without donations I am sure in the end all will be just fine. Tim is just trying to come up with some extra cash right now to keep things on schedule as far as I am understanding things. Tim isn't a young man and really doesn't need the extra stress of being short on the cash he needs right now to keep this on track. So I am sure he is very thankful to everyone who is helping but I wouldn't expect a personal "thank you" from him.

Say what? I have to hear more about this...

I saw them both out on the floor there a couple of weeks ago, but they were being worked on. Blew my mind! PHoF 4evr!!!!

Donated - been there multiple times - it’s necessary from losing my ass on the strip

OK Boiz, if yer online now, you got about 20 minutes to shoot some questions you'd like me to ask Tim. He be calling up Uncle Pinball for an interview at 8 Pacific...

Just donated, rest assured Tim is a frugal dude and your donation will be well spent.

Oh great! A bunch of low brow, low IQ tourists drinking and partying in Vegas. Next thing you know is they are at the Pinball Hall of Fame and they are hammered, all the while claiming they are gods gift to pinball while chugging beer after beer. A drunk tourist with a full glass of beer sitting on the glass of a pin poses no threat what so ever. What could go wrong? Maybe the dumbass tourist dumps his or her beer onto the glass which flows into the game and is subsequently followed by the electronic songs of said game shorting out.

How do I know for a fact that this will happen? I am exhibit A - I am the dumb ass, low brow, low IQ drunk tourist who visits Vegas on a regular basis. Was going to Vegas 4 to 5 times a year before Covid. It's been almost a year since I've been there and I AM SERIOUSLY BUNGED UP cause I haven't been there for so long. Vegas is my second home. Hell, I've got a second home there and all I've been doing is paying the bills for the past year.

When I get back there I'm gonna be a full on train wreck and I'd probably be the jack ass that drunk dumps several beers into Tim's games (if booze was allowed). I wouldn't mean to cause any harm....... I would be just "havin a good time".

So there ya go, Vegas, alcohol and pins is a very bad idea. I know from decades of experience.

QSS

Too late but wonder if Tim still has the old Bally sign with any plans to up at the new location?

I thought I remember reading that somewhere.

I was at the old place late Feb. last year, loved the experience! I can't wait to see the new place and I will as soon as this COVID bs is under control. Donation sent. Pictures for the hell of it!

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Any way to sticky the donation link? Just to make it easier to find. https://gofund.me/0ccf1d66

Hey timarnold as some who donated $100 in your original thread:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinball-hall-of-fame-to-close

How is the member wall coming along? I’m happy to donate again just you never updated your original thread on how that fund raising effort went..

Donated.

Tim probably wouldn't remember this but one night during his final year at the 1st/original PHoF location (it was May of that year; I just had a big money-making bowling sweeper run at The Orleans that day) he was at the locked front door after closing waiting for the last few players, myself included, to finish. On a whim I handed him a $20 tip on my way out, saying I hope it gets him into his new -- now current, soon to be former -- location a little quicker. He thanked me and said he appreciated it. We shook hands as he unlocked the door to let me out.

You'll reach the finish line here, Tim -- you know us 500+ donors are with you!!