A tour of reopening FEC venues by Intercard CEO Scott Sherrod to see how they are handling the return of players, has left him with the conclusion "people still want to have fun".
The management systems company chief talked to many operators who had been closed down since March in the St Louis area of the US to get first-hand feedback.
At Swing-A-Round Fun Town in Fenton, with a big arcade and outside attractions, he said: “The parking lot was full and when I went inside I saw that there were birthday party rooms decked out in decorations. An employee told me that they were at 50 per cent capacity and had two birthday parties under way.”
Sherrod described the arcade as busy, adding that "around 90 per cent of players were youngsters but there were some families evident - that shows that they are feeling comfortable that arcades are safe with proper cleaning and maintenance.”
At Bowlero Lakeside, Valley Park, an Intercard customer for over 15 years, Sherrod found lines of players waiting to enter. There are 40 lanes of bowling in addition to the arcade and a sports bar. “The manager told me that the numbers were only 50 per cent of what they were a year ago, but he is looking forward to their autumn leagues starting up which will help.”
The visits tied in with many telephone calls Sherrod has made to customers. “Business is down for everyone but as time progresses and more places open, people are coming out to play. Many Intercard customers in the US are saying that revenues are increasing steadily. People are leaning how to live with this virus and that you can still have fun outside the home while staying safe.”
He plans a road trip later in the year to visit customers in Missouri and other parts of the country.
