Why not go to next level and talk to the owners instead of making assumptions? You seem to have gotten some basic info wrong about that place.
I went there and the owners stayed after closing and we talked for over 45 mins, really good people, not rich, just hard working for years. They sold a family business to pay for that place, hard work not generational wealth.
They should get credit for what they are doing out there, really is an amazing place. If they had EM'S it would be the best museum out there, and I volunteer for a different museum, so that's saying something!
B

He is. So maybe stop criticizing Tim

So you just confirmed exactly what I said....I said people helped...it is an amazing place and good for them.

I just said they had help...wealthy is not a slam nor is it defined. Good for them doing what they love.

Being a good person does not exonerate him from being a rude ass and running a shithole. That's the biggest problem on this forum--people lionize the people that should not be lionized.

If people just stopped lionizing the wrong people Pinside would be solved of its biggest problem?

Anybody else believe this?

I don't think Tim's arcade is a Pinside problem?

Unreal how much crying there is in this thread. If you don't like it: Just don't go. Every time I go to Vegas I greatly enjoy visiting for hours of cheap thrills. Who cares if Junkyard and a bunch of EM's are down? There's plenty of other games to choose from. Virtually none of us would have had the chance to play Pinball Circus without the PHOF. In a place that doesn't even charge admission. But please go on about how the place is a disgrace to the pinball community. Jesus.

I’ve texted Tim. He has agreed to make sure all machines are up to snuff, and that he will be on his best behavior for you cubesteak.

Not sure what “lionized” means. Too lazy to Google. Some sorta swords of fury reference?

The issue with you, and a LOT of people these days, is that they feel entitled. PHOF is HIS baby. Not yours. He’s not doing it for you. Or your benefit. It’s HIS house and he can act however tf he wants.

Simple as don’t like it, don’t go.

I had a long response that I deleted, I didn’t want to sound like I was attacking anyone. A clean house will make your guests happier, stay longer and spend more. A dirty house will have people leaving sooner, talking crap and coming back slower. It’s that simple, no sense of entitlement. Some people hire cleaning services to keep their house looking more presentable. Some people are content living in piles of stuff.

I get what you’re saying, but We’re not talking about a house here.

It’s an arcade with hundreds of machines. Not exactly easy to do a quick vacuum and make everyone happy.

Like I said, don’t like it? Don’t go. Go to the other venues in Vegas to play. But stop demanding tim cater to you. It’s entitlement.

Also feel like we’re constantly beating a dead horse here.

Somehow I feel like this is opposite of helping Tim

I think G4 tv just had a great run with one of their hosts preaching this motto

No one is demanding anything, most of the comments have been constructive criticism, others have been voicing disappointment in their experience.

Entitled? Give me a break.

Follow your own advice - if you don't like the comments, don't read the thread.

Lighten up Francis.

I've kept quiet up til now and let things calm down some. There are some truths, some lies, and some exaggerations all in this thread. The only obvious thing to take away from the entire thread?

You don't have to always post every life experience with pinball up for the world to see here. Just like no one wants to see pictures of what you ate for lunch today, no one cares that you visited the non profit PHOF run by Tim Arnold and half the games were broken... ESPECIALLY Pinside. This is not a Google review site or Yelp! for Pinball.

For the most part, people on this site really do know pinball. And they also know it is a world full of odd people and businesses. That's really all I see here. It's not like you pay admission to the place. You can enter, walk around and not spend a single dollar. Please take that into account when you say half the games don't work. Well, don't put any money in those... Yes, some of the games are messed up and kind of half ass work. Well you know what? It doesn't bother me one bit. It's all part of the "on location half working flipper broke down fun" every single person experienced at some point in the 80's and 90's. What exactly were you really expecting to happen? Comparing it to other pinball businesses that have a goal to make a LOT of money is not even in the same conversation.

No one is forcing anyone to do anything in our world full of non profits, eccentric people, and pinball. Go be you!

The only glaring mistake I see? Calling the place hall of fame is totally misleading... It's more honestly "old school operator who takes no nonsense and not afraid to raise his voice" hall of fame.

And to review a very famous saying once again "If it ain't broke, it ain't pinball!"

None of us were traveling or making special detours of our trips just to play those games in the 80s and 90s either. The fact there is no admission doesn't negate the environment they are maintaining. Tim has come on here to add this is more about dealing with unexpected storage issues among other things he paints as temporary... but there is something to be said about what you are willing to tolerate as normal. I'm sure we'll be seeing this same scenario play out for years to come. There is nothing on the horizon for them to break out and start making huge headways on their upkeep/inventory.

They do try to make a lot of money. Did you not notice the last 10+ years of making money to buy more stuff? They have spent what.. 15million in buying property and buildings over the years. They didn't get that money by finding it in the couch.. they got it from hustling to make money. Those numbers dwarf most others.
They aren't buying new games just to lose money on them.
They aren't trying to just give EXCESS to charity, but actually make money for charity too.

Your entire post can be summed up as 'be happy for what you got.. you aren't paying for it anyways'. Alas PHOF is not a convenience, it's a business trying to lure us in. People are commenting on their experiences as customers.

.

Do techs still go and volunteer? We had a trip planned for 5 days in March of 2020 but covid shut down everything.
I would imagine having a list of broken machines with the simple issues flippers etc being fixed first working to more time consuming issues.
We may reach out to Tim and plan a trip in early 2023.
I worry about Tim as he could reach burnout which can affect one's health.
Work can be overwhelming at times.
The concerning thing that another has brought up is the more machines that fail the more working ones get stressed out and more prone to failure.
Call this .the runaway pinball effect.
I hope that Tim gets some help asap.

Tim may run a different operation and any quirks that he has is nullified by his charitable donations and contributions to the pinball hobby.

If you do this, let me know. I will accompany you and offer my labor (grunt work) services free of charge for any time you spend there. Hour for hour.

Please review how a non profit museum in the state of Nevada and the city of Las Vegas works. They actually do not "make" any money at all on purpose. I know, it's shocking for some to even accept.

They are NOT a traditional business and should not be treated or judged the same as one that exists along side it. They raise money to help others, not make it. Could they do better and raise more if they changed? Who knows and who cares...not really worth discussing. It was already pointed out in this thread and many other threads that this is not really a Pinside problem.

There are possibly things that could be done to improve any and all PINBALL RELATED issues pointed out by all at ANY PLACE that exists. But, it's really no concern of ours as enthusiasts. The museum does not exist for collectors like us to visit, it exists for Vegas tourists to visit. Honestly, it's really only a museum to promote the fact that it's a non profit, all the while luring TOURISTS and their families in to the facility for free. Has little to do with being a lucrative business and even less to do with pinball as a prominent collectible in our time. There are lots a good places to play pinball in our world so, we already have that covered. There's not a compelling reason for me to expose the shortcomings of an entity that exists only to help others.

Business trying to lure us in?.... You don't choose to be a customer (as you put it) when you plan your first trip there, you choose to be a customer when you put money in a machine or, buy a shirt or beverage. It has more to do with your feelings AFTER YOU LEAVE, not before you have ever been. There's no admission. You don't like what you see, just walk out. Last time I was there, everyone I was with (myself+four other non pinball people) had a great time there and we spent less money (combined!) than one single person's bill where we ate lunch that same day.

What other museum in Vegas has free admission? I really struggle to see why people complain about these things. Old men yelling at clouds I suppose.

I have an idea!

Lets let this thread go stale.

Then, like a year from now, some dipshit can make another "Went to the PHOF" thread, and we can all take turns bashing an amazing cause.

How many threads are on this now? Place isn't spotless. Some games don't work. Tim's interesting. But the Salvation Army is raking in the loot.

Props to Tim should be given. Period. When you really think about it, how truly SELFLESS is this dude?!

Grates on me to think some of you bitch.

On a happier note, PHOF just posted on Facebook that they now have Spinal Tap!

I'm gonna have to go check it out.

Yet another black mark against the place!

Accept that some people don't love Tim, or the PHOF as much as you do and move on.

No need to call those that don't share your view "dipshits."

Has nothing to do with a "love" for Tim or the PHOF.

People that bitch and complain about a non-profit that has given GOBS of money to charity are dipshits in my book all day long. And i'll call them such all day long as well.

@ Blackbeard. Just stop. Now. You seem to have taken over Too_Many_Posts white-knighting of TA. Your love affair--It's concerning....

CubeSnake I sent you a pm a few days ago. Did you see it?

Just read thru this thread...gotta say I'm surprised nobody has looked at the "Las Vegas Pinball Collector Club" IRS Form 990
I was quite surprised. It's been posted in this thread https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinball-hall-of-fame-is-running-out-of-money/page/17#post-7304522

You don't ever mention your responsibilities as a guest relative to what you feel Tim or the PHOF responsibilities are. What do you feel they are, if any?