A spectacular riverboat entertainment evening is planned for the first day of the European Amusement and Gaming Expo at ExCel, London, UK, on January 26, 2010.

The new show’s promoter, the trade association BACTA, wants to give the event a memorable lift-off by hiring the multi-floor Dixie Queen and mooring it alongside the wharf on the River Thames, outside the ExCel hall where the show is being held. The boat will accommodate 600 exhibitors and guests. Music from West End shows will be the theme, with cast members from the top London shows entertaining guests and there will be buffet food and drink.

The news was one of a number of topics discussed at a meeting of the EAG advisory board, which met in London on Wednesday.

Other topics for the board were the current floorplan, which shows 85 per cent full capacity, promotion with foreign trade shows and foreign press to bring in international visitors, and some logistics over the floor itself.

Visitor registration would be through a number of self-badging terminals and five manual registration desks. Registration forms will go out through the official publications, including InterGame.

The show hours are set at 9.30am to 7pm on the Tuesday and Wednesday, January 26 and 27, and 9.30am to 4pm on the Thursday, January 28.

A number of hotels are now organised into special rate accommodation lists and the organisers are drawing up lists of local restaurants in conjunction with the local authorities. Shuttle buses would be organised from the principal hotels.

International promotion of the show will be assisted by some of the major names represented on the advisory board, which are also exhibiting, including Sega, Namco, Games Warehouse, UDC, Electrocoin and others.

Visitors are advised to watch the pages of InterGame for further details of the show or use the links on the website: intergameonline.com to access the EAG website.