Let's do it.

Went to the PHoF this past week. First time in about 8 months and the place was busy. Non scientific observation was that there were a few more games on than last time I was there and I utilized the QR code to report some issues on a couple of games which the submission worked well.

Overall though, it's loud since it's such a cavernous space and they really need to organize the space. Rope off the back area for storage and broken games to be worked on and arrange it better. It has the feel of an operator who has a warehouse full of crap who just decided to plug it all in and open the doors.

Still seems better than it was last time I was there and has so much potential but my favorite place for number and quality of games is still Music City Pinball in Nashville.

This is Vegas we're talking here...

serious-wtf (resized).jpg

Awesome

I was in Vegas last week - went to PHOF a couple times..... it was great.
Wish Pinball Circus was up, but it's always nice to just take a look each time I'm in town.

Got to see Tim chew on two groups this time around..... and while they were aghast that someone would tell them anything..... Tim was right.
One girl was twirling around and the other time the young person was moving fast and not even looking where she was going = body going this way, head pointed in the opposite direction.

Can't imagine the potential lawsuits with people acting dumb, falling down and cracking their head open.
I like that Tim isn't kidding around. The moment I witnessed the infractions I barely had the time to think "uh oh", and by then Tim was on their AZZ.
He must have super powers or something, cause he was just "there". *BAM*

Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.

Why is it ever place on the planet with pins that allows children has no issues with liability. I’ve never seen the need to be an asshole to a kid at a show or tournament? The guy is just your stereotypical old prick.

Pinball Hall of Fame offers 25-cent family fun on the Las Vegas Strip, donated $1.2M to charity in 2023 | Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/pinball-hall-fame-offers-25-cent-family-fun-las-vegas-strip-donated-charity

I was there last Friday morning placing more QR codes for the problem reporting system on pins. The place filled up quickly when the doors opened at 10 am.

By 11:30, the lot was almost full. As I was leaving, a pickup truck had to park in one of the spaces that back up to Las Vegas Boulevard.

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You don't know that.

Most businesses that deal with the public don't advertise when they've been sued.

It used to happen all the time at the old Museum of Pinball in Banning where I'd see kids abusing the machines in various ways. That place was huge so it was easier for them to get away with things like hanging off joysticks, kicking machines, running around a corner and bashing into someone, etc.

Official car spotted!

Not sure if this link will work but these guys are really organized. Fantastic team work.

Very impressive. Thanks for sharing what is possible.

This is how it should be done to truly enhance the experience for both the customer and owner.

Amazing that they straighten the games each day after all the nudging etc

Also looks like every pinball ever made is in that place

I just spent the weekend at Past times Arcade. They do a fantastic job and have a team of great techs that were fixing games all weekend and also keeping the games running for a 100 player tournament all weekend.

I doubt I go to PHOF when I’m in Vegas in April and May this year, but I might just to compare the two.

But I was very impressed with Past times.

I’ve said it before in this thread that the devil is in the details and that attention to detail is enough to sell me on the place. Organizing the rows to put like games together, brilliant. I don’t even have to ask if the PHOF takes the time to line up the games, we all know the answer already.

Video like that really shows how Tim's excuses are total bullshit.

These guys have it figured out!

Don't let all the naysayers ruin your fun, you're a pinball guy, you'll still find dozens of cool pins to play at the PHOF. Worth any true pinhead's time, despite its shortcomings. It's a shame to be that close and not check it out.

Fair enough. I’ll check it out.

Just be REALLY careful not to wave your arms too aggressively.

Dammit. I naturally have very animated arms.

Two very different places. I still enjoy the PHoF, just a different experience. I do think it is organized by era to a degree, and had no problem with that.

Every pinball arcade I know of has a full team of techs. What's the secret? They get paid.

Tim will flaunt his millions they make and the charity.... but they can't pay for good techs? The excuse of people not wanting to work or not being good at it is nonsense when everyone else is having no issue hiring techs.

I don't get this either. Tim absolutely refuses to put people on the payroll.

Wow this place looks absolutely mind-blowing. World of difference compared to Tim's place.

It's pretty mind blowing. He would rather donate to unscrupulous organizations than pay actual pinball techs and invest back into the community

You have to ask yourself, who would be better served by the PHOF proceeds? Pinball techs and their families, or "charitable" organizations such as this...

https://libcom.org/article/starvation-army-twelve-reasons-reject-salvation-army

This is where your coin drop, donations, gofundmes, and t-shirt purchases at the PHOF is going. Not to paying staff, not back into pinball itself.

Lol, a site called libertarian communism sounds like a good source.

Do you think its appropriate to tell someone how to spend their money? Whether to pay service technicians? Or, to donate funding for college scholarships? Or to donate to any charity they want? How about buying and totally donating a home for rehab use to a charity? Or, a new full-size van to help shuttle seniors to medical and other appointments? Or, to buy a nice Las Vegas, Nevada or Warren, Ohio McMansion?

Those who work at the PHoF do so at their own leisure/pleasure. If they don't like it, they stop working there. I imagine it's the same for those who work at Past Times.

As far as Tim not putting anything back into pinball; doesn't four of every new Stern machine count for anything?

Look, I'm not telling him how to spend his money. But as a consumer, people should be aware of where their money is going. I can vote with my wallet. This sort of thing doesn't get my vote.

I'm not saying the PHOF hasn't done anything for pinball. But the ambassadorial opportunity is being missed by a long shot. Mostly from the misanthropic behavior of the staff/ownership.

Honestly, everything aside, I think we all want the PHOF to succeed. It's just painful as a pinhead to see the state of it and hear all the stories from visitors. So the opinions pour in. Mine isn't worth more than anyone else's admittedly, but there it is.

That sounds like an oxymoron.

Charitable giving comes from one’s heart and for specific purpose to the donor.

So I’m not sure we’re the ones to decide where one donates his money.

Whenever critique comes up, it's always hey look at the charity! This is a tiring jedi mind trick

How does the karma balance out if the quarters that you give to charity came from broken games where the patrons thought it was fully working? Seems like people are getting duped out of their money, but they shouldn’t complain because it’s going to a good cause. What if my definition of a good cause it to give the paying customers the full experience of each game they pay for.

How broken does a game have to be before it’s considered theft, and is that somehow ok because the profit goes to a charity?

Jesus. Enough already.

Find something else to bitch about. My fucking god.

Seriously! Look up the site, libcom.org and see what they stand for. I would rather donate to a christian charity like Salvation Army.

Forget what thread you're in?

Yeah, this thread is about the place that advertises on their website (lies) stating that "ALL" games are available for play and are "METICUlOUSLY MAINTAINED!"

Charity is nice. Lies are not.

What’s great about this thread is that it is now over 2000 posts. But you could go back through them all and take a selection of about 5 different ones that say everything that keeps getting repeated over and over. 2000 times

He needs a reminder every other week.

If I could buy a new Stern for what Tim pays I would buy one or two a year. Tim get them for less than dealer cost because of the high traffic thru the Phof

Volume discounts apply to Stern's best customers. I wonder if BERK gets good pricing?