NEW FACES ON THE ISLAND: Jungle Island, a themed interactive zoological park in Miami, Florida, has announced the appointment of two new members to its management staff. Aston Ziadie joins as a member of the catering sales management team, and Suresh Dias comes aboard as an operations manager. Ziadie previously served as director of catering for Signature Gardens for two years and as an event producer for the prior 13 years. Dias was operations manager for Wannado City in Sunrise, Florida, where he managed the facility’s day-to-day functions and systems.
CONTINUING THE MAGIC: Amusement Management Partners, the new manager of Magic Springs & Crystal Falls in Hot Springs, Arkansas, has announced that Steve Honeycutt has taken over as the park’s new general manager. Honeycutt is an industry veteran with more than 34 years of experience with Kings Entertainment, Anheuser-Busch, and Herschend Family Entertainment. Most recently, he was general manager of Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado.
PICTURE PERFECT HIRE: Digital Centre America, manufacturer of photo booths and a division of Digital Centre, S.L., in Barcelona, Spain, has named Omaly Rodriguez as Technical Support Manager. He will be responsible for all technical support provided to customers in the United States and Canada. Rodriguez was IT department manager for MB Development for four years and, prior to that, was president of his own company, Miami Total IT Solutions.
NEW PRESIDENT: FEC chain Dave and Buster’s, Inc., has named Dolf Berle as its new president and COO. Berle comes to Dave and Buster’s from ClubCorp USA, where he served as executive vice president of hospitality of the nation’s largest operator of private clubs. Prior to that, he was president of Lucky Strike Entertainment and was also chief operating officer of House of Blues Entertainment.
WELCOME “TONY O”: Tony Orozco, known in the amusement industry as “Tony O,” has joined Benchmark Games, manufacturer of coin-operated redemption games, as its southwest regional sales representative, covering California, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico. Orozco joins Benchmark games from C.A. Robinson, where he began his career 36 years ago. Benchmark says Orozco has been exposed to all facets of distribution and operation of amusement games. His primary focus will be to maintain existing sales relationships and to develop new business.
BIG TOP HONOR: Roland Mack, managing partner of Europa-Park, was honored to be invited by H.S.H. Princess Stephanie of Monaco and Prince Albert II to be a member of the international jury for the 35thMonte-Carlo International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Each year, the jury selects the top international circus artists from a field of more than 150. Mack handed the “Prix Europa- Park” award to the “Troupe Strangers” from Russia, which allows them to take part in Europa-Park’s circus revue next winter.
STEPPING DOWN: After 30 years of service in the amusement industry, Dollywood Vice President and General Manager Barbara Joines has announced she is retiring at the close of the theme park’s 2011 season. She will assume the title of vice president/ general manager emeritus for her final season with the park; Craig Ross, vice president of retail for Herschend Family Entertainment, Dollywood’s operating partner, has been promoted to vice president/general manager of Dollywood. Joines’ long career with Dollywood actually began with Silver Dollar City, Tennessee, which became Dollywood in 1986.
PRODUCTS
POPPIN’ GOOD: C. Cretors introduces the Model 40 Continuous Hot Air Popper, which can produce up to 40 pounds of popcorn per hour. The newest addition to the company’s hot air popping equipment line, the Model 40 is ideal for caramel corn shops and other concession locations. It pops kernels in a steady flow of hot air, creating uniform popcorn and producing very little scrap. A built-in sifter removes unpopped and undersized kernels, while a digital control panel allows the operator to set an exact temperature for the best popping efficiency. The stainless steel popper is a smaller version of Cretor’s original Model 80 Continuous Hot Air Popper. www.cretors.com
GAME ON!: The new “Play Full Court!” from Backyard Pool Products features two Pool Shot Varsity II water basketball games and creates realistic, NBA-style games for in ground and aboveground pools with decks. It includes two patented winged backboards, two stability bases with ball holders, two regulation-size hoop kits, two long-wearing nets, two decals, and four waterproof basketballs. Gameplay recommendations are provided on the company’s website to adjust play for families, oddly shaped pools, and pools where the full court covers both deep and shallow sections. www.BackyardPoolProducts.com.
TWO GAMES IN ONE: LAI Games rolled out two new games at the Amusement Expo in Las Vegas in early March. Stack ‘N’ Grab is a prize merchandising game that provides players two games in one. A player first attempts to win a shortened version of LAI’s stacker game. If successful, the player selects a prize with a crane claw that guarantees delivery. A second game, Catch ‘N’ Grab, uses the identical prize delivery system but instead of the stacker game, players are challenged to a game of Drop Zone, whereby they attempt to catch a group of blocks between two stacks of “catcher” blocks.
NEW FACES ON THE ISLAND: Jungle Island, a themed interactive zoological park in Miami, Florida, has announced the appointment of two new members to its management staff. Aston Ziadie joins as a member of the catering sales management team, and Suresh Dias comes aboard as an operations manager. Ziadie previously served as director of catering for Signature Gardens for two years and as an event producer for the prior 13 years. Dias was operations manager for Wannado City in Sunrise, Florida, where he managed the facility’s day-to-day functions and systems. 
PICTURE PERFECT HIRE: Digital Centre America, manufacturer of photo booths and a division of Digital Centre, S.L., in Barcelona, Spain, has named Omaly Rodriguez as Technical Support Manager. He will be responsible for all technical support provided to customers in the United States and Canada. Rodriguez was IT department manager for MB Development for four years and, prior to that, was president of his own company, Miami Total IT Solutions. 
STEPPING DOWN: After 30 years of service in the amusement industry, Dollywood Vice President and General Manager Barbara Joines has announced she is retiring at the close of the theme park’s 2011 season. She will assume the title of vice president/ general manager emeritus for her final season with the park; Craig Ross, vice president of retail for Herschend Family Entertainment, Dollywood’s operating partner, has been promoted to vice president/general manager of Dollywood. Joines’ long career with Dollywood actually began with Silver Dollar City, Tennessee, which became Dollywood in 1986.
POPPIN’ GOOD: C. Cretors introduces the Model 40 Continuous Hot Air Popper, which can produce up to 40 pounds of popcorn per hour. The newest addition to the company’s hot air popping equipment line, the Model 40 is ideal for caramel corn shops and other concession locations. It pops kernels in a steady flow of hot air, creating uniform popcorn and producing very little scrap. A built-in sifter removes unpopped and undersized kernels, while a digital control panel allows the operator to set an exact temperature for the best popping efficiency. The stainless steel popper is a smaller version of Cretor’s original Model 80 Continuous Hot Air Popper. 
GAME ON!: The new “Play Full Court!” from Backyard Pool Products features two Pool Shot Varsity II water basketball games and creates realistic, NBA-style games for in ground and aboveground pools with decks. It includes two patented winged backboards, two stability bases with ball holders, two regulation-size hoop kits, two long-wearing nets, two decals, and four waterproof basketballs. Gameplay recommendations are provided on the company’s website to adjust play for families, oddly shaped pools, and pools where the full court covers both deep and shallow sections. 