IALEI/IAAPA Finalise Merger Plans

Officials from the International Association for the Leisure and Entertainment Industry (IALEI) and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) have announced that they are moving forward to dissolve IALEI and merge the IALEI membership into IAAPA.
The IAAPA board met on 29th September and agreed three contingent issues outlined in the approval resolution were successfully resolved. The IALEI executive committee met on 2nd October to confirm the details to dissolve the association and merge with IAAPA.
The transition team made up of members of IALEI and IAAPA will now guide the formal transition of member services in the weeks ahead.
Several transition-related issues have already been resolved as follows:
All current members of IALEI will automatically qualify for IAAPA member benefits starting on 1st November 2009, and effective for one year, until 31st December 2010.
Current IALEI members will also receive free registration for Novemberâs IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009 in Las Vegas. During the Expo, they can participate in the education track for family entertainment centers (FECs), which is made up of 16 different seminars and programs. They can also participate in the other general education sessions (almost 100 in total) offered at the Expo, all at no additional cost.
IAAPA's FEC committee will be re-configured to coordinate and oversee membership development and service for FECs. The committee will be made up of equal representation from current IAAPA FEC members and members of IALEI. IALEI board chair, Dorothy Lewis, will chair the IAAPA FEC Committee starting in 2010.
As IALEI has in the past, IAAPA will work closely with the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) and the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) to produce FunExpo 2010 with the William T. Glasgow company managing the event.
FunExpo 2010 will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, from 8th to 12th March.
IAAPA will host a minimum of four web seminars for free specifically designed for FEC members in 2010.
In 2010, IAAPA will conduct research similar to the IALEI State of the Industry report and make it available to FEC members.
Additional programs and services will be offered to IAAPA FEC members. Details will be communicated to the members as plans are finalized.
Approximately 600 family entertainment center companies are members of IALEI. More than 375 FEC companies are already members of IAAPA, and approximately 80 companies are members of both IAAPA and IALEI.
"Throughout this process, our focus was on doing what is best for the members of IALEI,�? said Dorothy Lewis, Chair of IALEI, adding "we believe dissolving IALEI and merging into IAAPA is the best long-term option for our members and the FEC industry overall."
"We are pleased to welcome the members of IALEI to IAAPA," said Charles Bray, President and Chief Executive of IAAPA, adding âwe look forward to working together for the continued growth and development of the FEC industry."