Creative Works, the theming company and attractions provider, is celebrating the success of its recent virtual Amusement 360 event, which took place from 23 -25 February 2021 and was attended by over 450 people.
During the three-day event, participants came together to learn and to prepare for the industry’s comeback following the challenges presented by the pandemic over the last year. This is the 11th year that Creative Works has run the popular event, and it was the third fully-virtual Amusement 360 to take place.
A packed line-up
With so many participants, it was one of the biggest Amusement 360 events yet and included a record-breaking line-up with more than 15 speakers and experts. The company curated a list of key topics to help operators now, as they begin their recovery, as well as setting them up for success in the future.
As well as the usual sessions exploring useful topics such as operations, finance and marketing, the event also included self-improvement and leadership sessions, looking at how to bring energy and focus into a business and how to achieve results in less time.
“We brought in non-industry speakers to help attendees create not only a better business, but a better life as well,” says Danny Gruening, the Vice President of Marketing at Creative Works. “The response from attendees was phenomenal, and we’re thrilled they all walked away with knowledge they can act on right now.”
In a first for the event, the first two mornings were kicked off with motivational warmups from Mark Keene, founder of Transformation Coaching, helping to set the mood for the day. During Amusement 360, attendees were able to engage with the topics and network with peers, speakers and experts from across the industry. They spent, on average, over 12 hours interacting on the event platform and more than 2,200 public chat messages were sent.
Insights from operators
Participants also enjoyed two insightful operator interviews, with Eddie Hamann from Andretti Indoor Karting & Games, and John Losito from Sun Valley Lanes.
Hamann talked about the lessons his team learned during the COVID crisis, looking at the guest experience and highlighting the importance of treating each guest as if they are family. Andretti Indoor Karting & Games has recovered well in recent months, with some venues seeing revenue numbers equal to, or even better than, 2019.
Losito discussed the value of planning and reinvesting, as well as looking at the pent up demand caused by COVID-19. Sun Valley Lanes moved forward with a $4 million expansion during the pandemic
Finally, attendees were invited to an AMA (Ask Me Anything) roundtable with several industry experts and consultations, giving them an opportunity to gain insights into several different topics.
The next Amusement 360 Event will take place from 24 – 26 August 2021 in Indianapolis, IN. Both virtual and in-person registration will be available in the next few months. To see some of the key takeaways from the recent event, please click here.
Earlier this year, Creative Works announced that it had installed three immersive attractions, including its new Cell Block E themed escape room, at 814 Lanes and Games in Johnstown, PA.
