GR Activities at IAAPA Orlando 2003 Despite the absence of a congressional staff trip at IAAPA Orlando 2003, the government relations department kept quite busy during the annual convention and trade show. While Congress remained in session, much to the chagrin of disappointed members of Congress and staff who had been invited, the government relations agenda moved forward with a number of activities that demonstrate the expanding nature of this department. This year’s activities ranged from enhancing relationships with government agencies to complementing state association activities that occurred during the show. Unlike past years, however, there was a greater emphasis placed upon international meetings and activities. |The first major government relations activity occurred on Tuesday when representatives from six different countries gathered for a historic meeting. IAAPA Safety and Maintenance Committee Chairman Greg Hale, along with IAAPA’s government relations staff, moderated a meeting that was the first formalized discussion of the harmonization of amusement ride safety standards around the world. Experts from Germany, Russia, Italy, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States gathered to share descriptions of the standards that exist in their respective countries, and how those standards are enforced. The session featured animated discourse among these standards specialists and concluded with an agreement to continue the discussion during the upcoming Euro Amusement Show 2004 in January. Another issue of significant interest to IAAPA members is the general state of the travel and tourism industry both in the United States and around the world. To that end, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce depicted the contributions of amusement parks and attractions to the global travel and tourism economy during the “What’s New Theater” on Wednesday morning. After expressing his admiration and enjoyment of roller coasters and amusement parks, Secretary Don Evans identified the travel and tourism industry as being among the largest contributors to our country’s gross domestic product. His address also highlighted the work of the United States Travel and Tourism Promotion Advisory Board, chaired by the president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, James Rasulo. Later that day, IAAPA Vice President of Government Relations Randy Davis, along with representatives of European standards organizations and European and American manufacturers, met with officials from the Korean government and members of the Korean Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. The Korean delegation was interested in learning more about amusement ride regulations that affect both Europe and the United States. Both the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and German safety standards were discussed before the Koreans elaborated on the approach to ride safety that is taken in their country. The meeting further signified the continued development of relationships between IAAPA and other international entities that deal with ride safety standards. Focus shifted toward domestic issues, and more specifically toward an important announcement from the Golden State. John Robinson, director of Community Relations for the Santa Cruz Seaside Company, and a host of others announced the formation of the California Attractions and Parks Association (CAPA). Though the group is only beginning to develop from its infant stages, one of its stated objectives is to work with IAAPA and other organizations to give parks and attractions necessary representation throughout the California state government. IAAPA government relations looks forward to working with CAPA on this exciting new venture. Thursday began early as Davis addressed members at the New Jersey Amusement Association breakfast. Along with other speakers who discussed recent developments regarding the evolving regulatory regime in New Jersey, Davis noted the relationship between the ASTM design standard and New Jersey design and manufacturing regulations. Davis also spoke about IAAPA’s government relations activities during the past year and indicated that IAAPA will bolster efforts to assist members with state and local government relations initiatives. The first in a series of government relations activities on Thursday afternoon transpired when the Government Relations Committee convened to hear updated accounts of what had happened in the months since they had last met. Looking ahead, IAAPA’s new manager of government relations, Corey Connors, briefed the committee on plans to enhance the government relations section of the IAAPA web site. The new government relations site, scheduled to launch in January, will serve as the industry’s premier government information portal. The new government relations web site will contain several items, with the most integral portion being the new legislative and regulatory tracking report. The report will cover both the U.S. federal and state government to update IAAPA members on current legislation and regulations that affect the industry. The scope of the report will incorporate far more than the possibility of Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) jurisdiction by striving to cover relevant issues such as wage and labor, travel and tourism, and disability access compliance. Also planned for the site is a resource page for quick access to government web sites across the globe, a U.S. state database searching device so that members may track developments in their own state, and a grassroots resource page for smaller parks and attractions. Mere moments after the conclusion of the committee meeting, the Government Relations Industry Trends Workshop began just down the hall. Peggy Greenwell, training coordinator for accessibility at the United States Access Board, provided attendees with the informational materials and the latest updates regarding accessibility regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for recreational facilities. Greenwell indicated that enforcement regulations for the industry-related guidelines had not yet been adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice but explained that the guidelines must be applied to newly designed, newly constructed, and altered recreational facilities. Existing facilities must refer to and abide by the ADA and all current Department of Justice regulations. Greenwell specifically addressed accessibility to amusement rides by identifying three requirements that newly designed, newly constructed, or altered amusement rides must meet. New or altered rides must have at least either a wheelchair space or a ride seat designed for transfer, or must provide for the use of a transfer device. She listed a few rides that would be exempt from the rule but indicated that exempted rides must still include an accessible route to the ride in order to satisfy requirements of the standard. She also discussed accessibility issues at boating facilities, fishing piers, golf courses, miniature golf courses, sports facilities, team player seating areas, swimming pools, and outdoor developed areas such as trails and picnic and camping grounds. After a few questions from the audience, a second panel was convened. This panel featured four experts who were invited to illustrate the dynamics of a government relations program and how IAAPA members could influence the government at the state and local level. The panel was successful in communicating all four separate themes. Andy Quinn, director of communications for Kennywood Park and chair of IAAPA’s Government Relations Committee, began the second panel by discussing how IAAPA members can communicate effectively with legislators in their state capital. Quinn suggested ways that park officials and owners can target legislators who have influence over laws that affect the industry. He then revealed several tricks of the trade, emphasizing legislative office dynamics and how to have the greatest influence on the backbone of every office, the congressional staff. Quinn also mentioned the importance of tours to amusement parks and attractions, indicating that a first-hand experience at the facilities will give legislators and staff a better impression of the day-to-day challenges that the industry encounters. Following Quinn on the panel was John McReynolds, vice president of government relations for Universal Orlando and a member of IAAPA’s board of directors. McReynolds very candidly described the importance of getting to know local government officials and the role local officials play in the viability of any business. By stressing the importance of developing relationships, he attempted to dispel the notion that the only occasion for communication with a local official is during a crisis. “If you wait until a time of need to discuss an issue with someone, you will fail. I guarantee it,” McReynolds said. He echoed Quinn’s sentiments, indicating that tours best illustrate to local officials how their decisions can affect operations. Tina Bruno, executive director of Time to Learn, accepted an invitation to discuss how an organization can develop a successful grassroots program. Bruno identified the unique nature of grassroots lobbying by saying that officials regard such movements as citizen actions rather than the actions of an expensive high-profile lobbyist. She explained that a grassroots effort can be effective as a solitary action, or that a grassroots campaign can work well when coupled with the direct advocacy techniques discussed by the preceding panelists. Bruno concluded her segment by imploring those interested in developing a grassroots program to clearly define objectives and to set attainable goals in order to be successful. The final workshop speaker was Lary Zucker, a partner in the law firm of Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin and member of IAAPA’s Government Relations Committee. Zucker discussed how amusement facilities and attractions could have an influence on the state regulatory process. After indicating that legislation only provides the framework for a law, he explained that regulations define specifically how that law will be enforced. Zucker went to great lengths to discuss the “precautionary principle,” or the tendency for regulators to remain on “the safe side” of rule making. He encouraged owners and operators to visit with officials in the administration, and to offer tours, so that rule makers are not ignorant of how generalized principles can negatively affect the industry. On Friday, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chairman Hal Stratton addressed the capacity crowd at IAAPA’s annual legal roundtable by expressing gratitude for the invitation to visit the trade show and convention for the second consecutive year. Stratton made the most of his opportunity to address the amusement industry by commenting on the recently released CPSC annual report entitled, “Amusement Ride-Related Injuries and Deaths in the United States: 2003 Update.” Stratton reported that while no statistically significant trend could be cited, the number of injuries that occurred as a result of a fixed-site amusement ride decreased for the second consecutive year. He indicated that he was losing confidence in the NEISS system as a means of assessing injuries that occur on fixed-site amusement rides. NEISS surveys 100 hospital emergency rooms and is used as a major source of data for the report. The distribution of these hospitals is not representative of the distribution of fixed-site rides. Stratton expressed his interest in meeting with representatives from the industry to construct a better method by which this data can be collected. Government relations activities for the week were capped off by a tour of the trade show floor for Stratton and his chief of staff, James Fuller. Fuller expressed to IAAPA government relations staff that he was excited to have the opportunity to visit such an impressive exhibition of the various elements of the industry. As with most departments at IAAPA, preparations for government relations activities at IAAPA Orlando 2004 are already under way. Representatives from government agencies and congressional staff will again be invited to learn more about the amusement industry. The past two conventions and trade shows have seen major expansion of government relations efforts. The government relations department plans an even greater expansion of its services to IAAPA members around the world in 2004.