First, we want to say thank you for participating in this year’s show. Without your support and your games, there would be no show at all. In order to keep the game list as up to date as possible, please notify us of any changes to your registration (game title, pass names, etc.) by email.
Next, for those of you who are not Exhibitors or Collectors, or Volunteers… We know everyone is excited and those that arrive early may just want to come “look” at set-up. Please DO NOT and stay clear of the main hall during set-up. We have so many people and so much equipment moving around, it slows the process by adding more. If by some chance you feel this request doesn’t apply to you, WE ARE ESPECIALLY TALKING TO YOU.
Now… let’s get to it. We know this is a lot of reading, but there’s a lot of important information here…
For those that have participated in previous shows, much of this will seem familiar, but there are always a few new things that come up. Let’s start with an overhead view of the facility. The loading zone is marked in red. Note that there is a new location for overflow truck parking outlined by the city. Please observe it. The circus is in town during the show which means we have to share the lot with them. If you park in the spaces allocated for them you will be towed.
Show set-up officially begins at noon on Thursday, March 14 until 10pm. You may arrive earlier, but we will still be setting up the electrical and drapery so you may just be sitting around waiting. The ballroom will re-open for continued set-up on Friday morning at 8am, March 15th.
We encourage early arrival for load-in and set-up. Friday morning is good; Thursday is better.
Please make every effort to arrive at the show and be set up before 3:00pm on Friday. We want to have as many games as possible ready for the opening of the show. Tournament play also begins on Friday morning, so all tournament games should arrive and be set up by Thursday evening.
The venue has repeated the request that we do NOT transport any games through the glass doors of the convention center. Also tournament games are to be moved up and down stairs in the freight elevator only.
KNOW YOUR NAME. Not the humorous display name you chose when you registered, not the pass name you assigned to the game, but your name…. you… the person that registered the game. Your name… your email address… your order number(s)… it will help us find your registration faster.
The basic load in procedure will be as follows:
1) Arrive (early) at the loading area and check-in with one of the volunteers. Main load-in is off Avenue of the Stars on the West side of the Convention Center (highlighted in red). This is a 3-lane side street with little traffic. The main loading area will accommodate two vehicles, so be mindful of other exhibitors. At the main load-in doors, there will be a check-in table set up. An organizer and/or volunteer will be there to check you in and inventory your games. The venue has repeated their request that we please do not transport any games through the glass doors of the convention center. We will use the North side parking lot of the Convention Center as a sort of staging area for Exhibitors waiting to unload. There is a full-size loading dock on the South side of the convention center (North of the hotel) as well as an over-flow load-in door.
2) Unload your games and STAGE THEM in loading area as indicated by the volunteer assisting you. All effort should be made to unload as quickly and safely as possible. There will be at least one community appliance dolly, and there are always plenty of people around willing to loan out their dollies and/or lift tables. Once staged you MUST move your vehicle immediately to an approved parking area! PARKING ON THE STREET IS NOT ALLOWED FOR TPF EXHIBITORS! You can park in the lane closest to the Convention Center to actively unload your games as described above.
3) Go park your vehicle so the area is clear for others to unload. You may park in the hotel parking lots for free. If you are staying at the hotel, you may park in the parking garage for free (you will need a code). If you have a trailer or are not staying in the hotel, you can park in the mall parking lot across the street. The mall parking area is highlighted in blue.
4) Come back to the loading area to move your games. Floor plan maps will be printed out and available to you. Show Organizers or volunteers will assist you in locating your booth or space for your games. If you made arrangements for them to be in a specific booth or location, please let them know. TPF volunteers can not help you set-up your games. If you have PinGulp or drink caddies, please install them. This will help keep beverages off the floor and, more importantly, off your games.
5) Label your games. There will be small double sided cards that read “Not For Sale” on one side available, with a place for your name and phone number. Please affix these cards to the upper corner of the back glass or on the lower playfield glass. This is so we know whose game it is, should we need to contact you. This cuts down on the constant flow of folks coming to the Registration Counter asking who owns this or that game. This year, there will be a second card denoting Best Of Show participants. If you want your game(s) to be considered in the judging, make sure the card is placed in the upper right hand corner of the back glass.
6) Return to the loading area and tell the helpers that your games are ready for verification. A game verifier will go to your machines and confirm that the game is operational. This is a new step this year, and will ensure that the games that are on the floor are ready for play during the show. This is a required step in the process and you will not be able to receive your free weekend passes for the show until the game has completed this step.
7) Turn off the games once they are set up and exit the game room. This will cut down on congestion and discourage game play before the show opens, which slows the whole process.
8) Go to the Registration Counter to pick up your exhibitor packet including your passes. Inside your packets, you will find your name badge(s) and wrist band(s). The wrist bands are important and must be worn on your wrist all weekend. Your wristbands will be a different color than the general public and will get you access to the after party on Saturday night. They are waterproof and most folks do not have any issues with them. If you purchased additional passes with your free passes, they will all be together. If you don’t have enough games to cover your free passes, you can pay the difference when you pick up your packet.
There are a few other things to remember.
In the event of poor weather, we urge you to find a way to bring your game (pallet wrap, tarps, covered truck bed or trailer, etc). The loading dock and main load-in doors are covered areas, so we should be able to get everyone in dry. We know rain sucks, but please plan ahead and make every effort to be there.
There is no fee for selling your game at the show, but if you brought a game in exchange for a free pass, please inform your buyer that the game needs to remain on the floor on free play until the end of the show on Sunday afternoon. If the game just has to leave early, there is a $95 Early Removal fee (the cost of a weekend pass) and any exhibitor perks, including the after party, will no longer apply. An early removal ticket can be obtained at the Registration Booth, where the exhibitor wrist band will be exchanged for a guest wristband.
Below is the latest version of our floor map. Things can still change at the last minute, but changes at this point should be minor. Please use this map to location your booth space, the number of tables that are assigned to you, and the pipe and drape around your space.
Swap Meet… The DFW Pinball and Arcade Club is managing the TPF Swap Meet again this year. We love the job they do putting it together. We expect it to be awesome!
The Swap Meet will be held in the Northeast corner of the Convention Center parking lot near the parking garage (marked in green), which is the same place as last year. We cannot block the fire lanes, but you can park your vehicle there once you have finished setting up your games.
A couple more things…
If at any time you have a question or need help, go to the table near the load in doors and they can help you. This year Trey Gilliam will be our Floor Manager. Tony Macevicius and Heath Stidham will oversee exhibitor check-in and load-out. Dick Hunter, Ken Kemp, Kevin Stone, and Liz Dronet are Tournament Directors and will be setting up the tournament area. If you have a question other than load in we have a new Concierge Service located next to the Main Registration are where you can get answers.
If for some reason you are unable to bring your game(s), please notify us ASAP so we can make other arrangements for your passes (if needed) and we can find other games to fill their space.
At approximately 2:00 pm on Sunday, March 17th, at the conclusion of the show, you can begin breaking down your machines for Load Out. The loading doors will not open until the Awards Ceremony is complete! Full Load Out procedures are provided when you load in. This process was extremely successful last year and will be followed again this year. Please review these procedures before the end of the show so there are no surprises.
There are two loading areas at TPF: the large opening in the back of the exhibit hall (West side) which can accommodate two trucks, and a large door on the South side of the exhibit hall (through a hallway) that is only big enough for one.
As in previous years, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ANY GAMES OR EQUIPMENT TO MOVE OUT THE GLASS DOORS! This comes directly from the venue and we will comply with their request. There are plenty of alternative doors that machines can be taken from that are not glass, we do not want you to be responsible for a high $$$ glass replacement.
If you DO NOT require use of the Loading Areas to remove your games, you are welcome to park on the street (West or South) as long as you are ACTIVELY LOADING your games. You may dolly your games through the metal door beside the West loading area or around the currently parked trucks. Every effort will be made to ensure there is enough space in between trucks to move games but we cannot guarantee anything but the smaller door.
If you DO require use of the Loading Areas, the following instructions MUST be followed:
1) Pack up all your games/equipment in your booth or on the exhibit floor. Everything you need to move must be dolly ready (games up on end, legs off, wrapped accordingly, etc.).
2) Once you believe everything is ready, come to the rear loading area and ask one of the volunteers to verify. The volunteer will check all the games/equipment to ensure you can load as quickly as possible once your truck is parked.
3) The volunteer will then give you a numbered loading card to give to the driver of your truck or car. At this time you can pull your truck/car into any available Loading Area. If there is a wait, you are encouraged to use your waiting time to stage your equipment closer to the doors and begin moving your truck.
4) If two trucks are attempting to park in the same spot…the driver with the lower number should be given preference. In the confusion, it is possible someone may “jump the line” but the intent is everyone will load out in the order they were ready.
5) Once parked, the driver must give their numbered loading card to a volunteer and then actively load games onto your truck as quickly and safely as possible.
6) Once everything is loaded, inform one of the volunteers that you are ready to leave so we may inform the next in line to be ready.
Last but not least, please remember that most of the people who will be helping you set up, load in and load out are volunteers. They will be helping hundreds of Exhibitors and Vendors try to get set up and/or torn down as fast as possible. Have a little patience and we’ll all have a lot of fun! We all want this show to be the best show in the country!
Oh… and all of our volunteers appreciate baked goods and drinks. =)
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the very end. Thank you for reading (and adhering to) all of that. Cary Hardy put together this great first timer Exhibitor guide. Enjoy!