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SOLID FOUNDATION SECOND EDITION OF “FOUNDATIONS ENTERTAINMENT UNIVERSITY” RECEIVES STUNNING 9.5 RATING FROM ATTENDEES FIVE TOP INDUSTRY CONSULTANTS LEAD THREE-DAY EDUCATIONAL SESSION AT STONE MOUNTAIN, GA Comprehensive Workshop Shows How to Design, Build and Operate Profitable Destination Entertainment Sites STONE MOUNTAIN, GA – “Amazing”…”Priceless”…”I learned more from three days of this University than I did from three years of college.” The rave reviews from attendees at the second edition of Foundations Entertainment University speak for themselves. A total of 40 FEC owners and developers from around the USA and the world (Spain, United Kingdom, Mexico) congregated from Feb. 3-5, 2004 at Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain, GA (outside Atlanta) for an information-packed three day educational extravaganza.
Five of the on-site entertainment industry’s most respected
consultants, facilities planners and operators – along with
nine elite sponsors, each experts in their own niches -- cooperated
to teach the secrets of successfully planning, designing, building,
and operating a new or renovated location based entertainment complex.
Attendees liked the fact that speakers were all competitors with each other, giving the audience a wide range of balanced views – as well as a choice of consultants if needed. “It’s amazing how the topics cover exactly the keys of success of our business,” said Asier Garcia of Cirsa Amusement Corporation, Barcelona, SPAIN. The cost of travel and tuition were “well invested time and money,” he added. The “definitely worth the time and money” sentiment was echoed by the other attendees. According to David Cleveland of Silos Fun Park, Reading MI: “Foundations is one of the few educational seminars I have attended over the years where I truly felt I got more value and useful information than the price I paid. Thank you!” Topics covered at FEU2 included: The Market ~ Site Selection ~ Feasibility ~ Costs ~ Financing ~ Design ~ Food & Beverage ~ Games ~Safety ~ Marketing ~ Birthday Parties ~Groups ~ ADA and other legal requirements ~ Operations ~ and more. As always, great emphasis was placed on avoiding costly mistakes that are typical of newcomers, and ensuring profitability from Day One of a new site’s operation. The curriculum applies to anything and everything from a $250,000 gameroom that complements a bowling center or theme park, to a $10 million standalone outdoor pocket theme park. In addition to comprehensive classroom sessions, “Foundations” students also enjoyed the opportunity to brainstorm with the seminar leaders during meals and in relaxed after-hours sessions. Attendees gathered in the hotel lounge one night, where they had the priceless opportunity to have their business plans vetted by all of the instructors and expert sponsors. A typical experience saw an FEC developer having his mini golf course revised to professional standards in five minutes by one expert, then sent to the next expert for instant, custom instruction and on-the-spot plan modifications on redemption layout or laser tag integration.
“After-hours shop talk was phenomenal,” said FEU instructor Frank Seninsky. “Attendees loved having a chance to really talk through their projects with all the instructors and the sponsors. In addition, they bonded with each other like students in a class. They began working with each other during the FEU, with us, and the sponsors during the off-hours. This kind of synergy is exactly what makes Foundations such a unique and sensational forum for aspiring and existing entertainment professionals.” Social highlights of FEU2’s evening outings included a hilarious foam ball-throwing melee at The Barn, part of the resort complex at Stone Mountain Park. “Everybody participated in transforming what was supposed to be a high-tech colored ball-collection quest into a wild game of “Let’s Get Jerry,” Seninsky chuckled. “The facility attendants couldn’t believe their eyes.”
“I would recommend this course as a requirement for any new FEC type facility,” said Cherie Hatley of Columbus, GA. “The realism encouraged me and relaxed any intimidation I was feeling. It even persuaded me to evaluate my attractions to allow for the development of quality rather than waste the available funding on the unnecessary. I really appreciated the availability of the professionals and their willingness to ‘talk shop’ and to talk so freely about our plans. The integrity presented will definitely be reimbursed many times over.” The third edition of Foundations will take place at Four Points Barceló Hotel, Kansas City Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri, from April 20-22, 2004. Registration may be accomplished online at www.foundationsuniversity.com. Register by March 14th and tuition is $595 per individual. Tuition for registration after March 14th is $695 per individual. Discounts are available for multiple attendees from the same company. Fee includes meals and tuition but does not include hotel accommodations. However, a special conference rate is available. (Contact information is provided below.) Graduates of the conference program will also receive a complete, bound copy of all presentation materials, as well as a full set of worksheets (one for each person attending). The conference faculty will proudly issue every graduate with a Foundations Entertainment University diploma, suitable for framing. In addition, attendees will receive sponsor demos and special discounts. ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM FOUNDATIONS #2: Sponsor Quotes: “Foundations has a wealth of expertise and information. Attending the University Program has enabled me to offer my clients a higher quality of services.” Dorman Spencer, Qubica Worldwide “Being a sponsor of Foundations Entertainment University has been a wonderful experience! The credibility of the presenters, wealth of information provided, and the positive responses from the attendees has shown the Foundation’s format to be a success. Gatemaster has benefited greatly by our association with this incredible team!” Brad Feinman, Systems Consultant, Gatemaster Systems. “Foundations is a benefit to everyone—potential operators, existing operators. We as sponsors have benefited from this experience also. What a wealth of information!” Rick White, Director of Corporate Sales, Perky’s Pizza. “Foundations provides our company the necessary information for us to maximize our services to our customer base-past, present, and future.” Steve Hickerson, Qubica “Foundations provided a much needed learning structure to the future generation of FEC’s and the sponsors allowed for closer relationships which will yield greater sales. This was a great value for the marketing dollars spent.” Erik Guthrie, Zone Systems, Inc. Attendees Quotes: “This course helped us decide what type of new facilities to build. We also picked up a lot of good ideas to improve our current facilities.” Tom Mathews, Dominion Golf Group “It’s amazing how the topics cover exactly the keys of success of our business. Well invested time and money.” Asier Garcia, Cirsa Amusement Corporation, Barcelona, SPAIN. “I would recommend this course as a requirement for any new FEC type facility. The realism encouraged me and relaxed any intimidation I was feeling. It even persuaded me to evaluate my attractions to allow for the development of the quality rather than waste the available funding on the unnecessary. I really appreciated the availability of the professionals and their willingness to ‘talk shop’ and to talk so freely about our plans. The integrity presented will definitely be reimbursed many times over.’ Cherie Hatley, Columbus, GA. “Never consider opening an FEC without attending this course. You are going to invest too much time and money to get an FEC up and running to get this wrong. There are too many failures in the industry and FEU teaches you most of the pitfalls.” Paul McGuire, Granite Bay, CA. “I left FEU with the knowledge I needed. “Frank the Crank” really is the consummate teacher in the industry—a few days with Frank—priceless.’ JP Drengler, AM Best, Shawano, WI “Foundations is one of the few educational seminars I have attended over the years where I truly felt I got more value and useful information than the price I paid. Thank you!” David Cleveland, Silos Fun Park, Reading MI “I am interested in starting an FEC but didn’t know where to start. Foundations confused the heck out of me but in a good way. I learned what was feasible, profitable and realistic and how to apply those concepts to suite me best. I am a business management major but I learned more in 3 days at FEU than I have in 3 years of college. Foundations has given me everything I need, except the money to start my business.” Mario Davis, Jonesboro, GA.
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