Boulder, CO
I think I'd do it. Would have to be able to live off the quarters of course. I can't even begin to guess at what the finances would look like...
(Topic ID: 157227)
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Quoted from Bryan_Kelly:I couldn't help but look around and wonder how nice it could be made if some money were invested back into the business. Just because you have room for 250 machines, doesn't mean you should set that many up for play. Imagine half that many games set up in 2/3 of the space while the other 1/3 of the building is where all the maintenance goes on. Say you have 150 set up to play, if one goes down, move it to the maintenance area and bring another out that's been shopped out. Hopefully, you could keep 150 of them operational.
Build some walls and separate the working games area from the maintenance area. Make it look nice. This is, after all, the PHOF. Live up to the name.
This is exactly what I was thinking reading through this thread. 50 great playing games out of 50 makes you one of the best locations in the world. 50 great playing games out of 200 is a dump.
Quoted from ExtremePinball:I'm the guy that owns/operates the pins in the arcade at NYNY. I've been really interested in opening up a pinball lounge somewhere on the Las Vegas strip, however, I have no desire to compete with Tim, or the PHOF, so I've refocused my efforts on getting the first Triotech XD Theater/Dark Ride in Las Vegas. I'm currently waiting on a final draft contract from a major strip hotel/casino to get this project started.
More to the point, I've also been speaking with Tim over the last few weeks about the future of the PHOF. I have already placed an offer on the table.... but please understand that does not mean that the PHOF is for sale. IT IS NOT FOR SALE. It just means I've proactively made it clear that I would like to buy it, operate it, and GREATLY improve upon it.... under Tim's guidance. Ultimately, it is Tim's decision as to the future of the PHOF.
Open up shop right next door with 30 great playing pins. I bet it wouldn't take long for him to see the value in running a place differently.
I don't know Tim, but maybe someone who does could chime in. The "no one else could do it" refrain is commonly repeated. Yeah, big route ops don't take good care of games, and maybe 99% of people don't know how to fix games, but that other 1% is doing a hell of a job right now with destination pinball arcades and even some on route.
Has he not been to the places that have 30, 40, or 50+ great playing games?
Whether it works or doesn't work...that's a really subjective definition. But, there are a few facts:
1) Tim is worn out, and has been telling everyone this for years.
2) The machines are generally in enough disrepair that many of the target customers are not returning for a second visit.
3) Non-working (or poorly playing) machines being left out on location reflect poorly the venue, and on pinball in general.
All of these things can be changed or improved. None of us has been tasked with making improvements, so our suggestions really don't mean anything. But, given #1, it's not surprising that these conversations keep happening. It sounds to me like the things he says to people regarding his sanity & enthusiasm is opening himself up to unsolicited advice. (Although this article almost certainly took one comment out of context and ran with it).
Honestly, if they just hung a curtain down the middle of the PHOF and put the broken games behind it - that would be a huge leap forward. Go from 30% of the games not working, to only displaying the best half of the collection.
From the article: ""It's hard to get somebody to doing this full-time and dedicating their life to it, when there's no profit in it for them," said Arnold."
Given what we've seen above on the finances, how can there be *no profit in it*?
Also: "The Pinball Hall of Fame is a nonprofit museum so you have to love it enough to work for free." I'm no expert on non-profits, but that's not at all true. Non-profits everywhere have paid employees at (nearly) market rates.
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