# Now Trending by Howard McAuliffe – March 2026

**Source:** Replay Magazine  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2026-03-01  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.replaymag.com/now-trending-0326/

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## Analysis

Howard McAuliffe, CEO of Pinnacle Entertainment Group, provides an industry insider's guide to attending Amusement Expo International (AEI) 2026 in Las Vegas. He highlights venue upgrades (move from Westgate to Resorts World, Tesla Tunnel connection), new networking events targeting operators and women in the industry, and his strategy for working the trade show floor. The article emphasizes AEI's value as a more intimate alternative to IAAPA, focused on route operations and FEC profitability through vendor relationships and peer knowledge-sharing.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Amusement Expo International is smaller and more focused than IAAPA, specifically tailored for route operations and family entertainment centers — _Howard McAuliffe, AEI positioning comparison_
- [HIGH] AEI 2026 moved the host hotel from Westgate to Resorts World, which is a Hilton property offering Honors points and modern resort experience — _Howard McAuliffe, logistical announcement_
- [HIGH] The Tesla Tunnel (The Loop) connects Resorts World directly to Las Vegas Convention Center's West Hall, eliminating multi-story hall fatigue — _Howard McAuliffe, venue infrastructure details_
- [HIGH] AEI is where operators see actual sales data from games in their first few months of operation, whereas IAAPA is where games debut — _Howard McAuliffe, show strategy and positioning_
- [MEDIUM] The social golf sector is experiencing explosive growth with multiple high-end competitors: Atomic Golf, Swingers, Puttery, and PopStroke — _Howard McAuliffe, Las Vegas attraction trends_
- [HIGH] F1 Arcade at Caesars Palace is a 21,000-square-foot venue with 87 full-motion simulators demonstrating the viability of high-end F&B paired with competitive gaming — _Howard McAuliffe, Las Vegas venue observation_
- [HIGH] Pinnacle Entertainment Group uses Intercard for card system management and Redemption Plus for prize counter/merchandise management — _Howard McAuliffe, vendor partnerships_

### Notable Quotes

> "While IAAPA is the global giant, AEI offers a more intimate, focused environment tailored specifically to route operations and family entertainment centers. This smaller footprint is a feature, not a bug."
> — **Howard McAuliffe**, opening section
> _Defines AEI's market positioning and explains why operators choose it over IAAPA_

> "The incremental profit ideas and show-special savings I gather at AEI more than pay for the trip."
> — **Howard McAuliffe**, closing of floor strategy section
> _Quantifies ROI value of attending the show for operators_

> "IAAPA is where games debut; AEI is where we see the actual numbers from the first few months of operation."
> — **Howard McAuliffe**, working the floor section
> _Articulates the temporal/strategic difference between the two major shows_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Amusement Expo International (AEI) | event | Major spring industry trade show held in Las Vegas, focused on route operations and FEC operators. 2026 event scheduled for March 16-18 with venue at Resorts World/West Hall. |
| Howard McAuliffe | person | CEO and President of Pinnacle Entertainment Group, industry veteran with 20 years experience in product development and FEC/route operations. Article author and AEI attendee. |
| Pinnacle Entertainment Group | company | FEC and route operations company led by Howard McAuliffe. Uses Intercard and Redemption Plus systems. |
| IAAPA | organization | Global amusement industry association/trade show. Positioned as larger, more generalist alternative to AEI. |
| Resorts World | venue | Las Vegas resort hosting AEI 2026. Hilton property with modern integrated resort experience and Tesla Tunnel connection to convention center. |
| Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall | venue | State-of-the-art single-level facility hosting AEI 2026 education and trade show. |
| The Loop (Tesla Tunnel) | infrastructure | Underground transportation tunnel connecting Resorts World to Las Vegas Convention Center. |
| AREA15 Expansion | venue | Vegas immersive entertainment district featuring Universal Horror Unleashed year-round horror attraction. |
| Universal Horror Unleashed | attraction | Universal's first year-round permanent horror attraction at AREA15, cited as model for seasonal content rotation. |
| F1 Arcade | venue | 21,000-square-foot racing venue at Caesars Palace with 87 full-motion simulators, model for high-end F&B + competitive gaming. |
| Atomic Golf | venue | Next-gen Topgolf competitor near The Strat in Las Vegas. |
| Swingers | venue | Boutique social golf concept in Las Vegas. |
| Puttery | venue | Boutique social golf concept in Las Vegas. |
| PopStroke | venue | Boutique social golf concept in Las Vegas. |
| Shaffer | company | Trade show exhibitor with arcade game flyer; manufacturer or distributor. |
| Intercard | product | Card system provider used by Pinnacle Entertainment Group for patron management. |
| Redemption Plus | company | Prize counter and merchandise management supplier used by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. |
| Westgate | venue | Previous host hotel for AEI; replaced by Resorts World for 2026. |
| Caesars Palace | venue | Las Vegas resort hosting F1 Arcade. |
| The Strat | venue | Las Vegas location near Atomic Golf. |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Trade Show Logistics and Venue Management, Route Operator Business Strategy and Profitability, Networking and Industry Relationships
- **Secondary:** FEC Design and Attraction Trends, Gaming and Arcade Technology, Las Vegas Entertainment Venue Concepts
- **Mentioned:** Women in the Amusement Industry

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — McAuliffe is enthusiastic about AEI 2026 improvements and expresses optimism about venue upgrades, networking opportunities, and vendor relationships. Tone is professional and promotional but grounded in operational specifics. No critical or negative commentary present.

### Signals

- **[event_signal]** AEI 2026 venue moved from Westgate to Resorts World with Tesla Tunnel integration to Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall. Single-level layout eliminates multi-story navigation. (confidence: high) — Detailed venue infrastructure description with specific logistics improvements
- **[event_signal]** AEI 2026 introducing new networking events: Level Up Lounge (Monday post-education), Rise & Shine Breakfast (women in industry focus, Tuesday), and expanded All-Industry Gala. (confidence: high) — Explicit enumeration of three new events with dates and purposes
- **[market_signal]** Social golf sector experiencing explosive growth with multiple high-end competitors (Atomic Golf, Swingers, Puttery, PopStroke) using tech-tracked balls to gamify traditional sport. (confidence: medium) — McAuliffe identifies four separate social golf concepts as growing trend, though secondary analysis rather than primary data
- **[market_signal]** F1 Arcade at Caesars Palace demonstrates viability of large-scale (21,000 sq ft, 87 simulators) high-end F&B + competitive gaming model in premium locations. (confidence: high) — Specific venue specifications and positioning as 'social racing at the highest level'
- **[operational_signal]** Route operators rely on long-standing relationships with card system providers (Intercard) and prize/merchandise management systems (Redemption Plus) for cost control and labor efficiency. (confidence: high) — McAuliffe details his annual vendor review strategy and mentions years of partnership with both suppliers
- **[venue_signal]** Universal Horror Unleashed at AREA15 is first year-round permanent horror attraction, model for seasonal content rotation (e.g., Krampus winter expansion). (confidence: high) — Identified as 'masterclass in rotating seasonal content' and specific seasonal expansion mentioned
- **[community_signal]** AEI positioned as venue where operational peer knowledge-sharing and real-world sales data from vendors generate more actionable insights than debut-focused IAAPA. (confidence: high) — McAuliffe explicitly contrasts IAAPA (debuts) with AEI (operational data) as strategic reasoning for show selection
- **[business_signal]** Route operators calculate AEI ROI based on 'incremental profit ideas and show-special savings' gathered from vendors and peers, indicating show attendance is cost-justified. (confidence: high) — McAuliffe states incremental profit ideas 'more than pay for the trip'

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## Transcript

The Road to Las Vegas
Get Ready for Amusement Expo 2026! by Howard McAuliffe, Partner, Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Who wants to spend St. Patrick’s Day and the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Las Vegas, surrounded by friends while conducting business that improves your bottom line? I’m betting the answer is everyone. Amusement Expo International (AEI) is the industry’s premier spring event, and for 2026, it is shaping up to be our most impactful gathering yet. While IAAPA is the global giant, AEI offers a more intimate, focused environment tailored specifically to route operations and family entertainment centers. This smaller footprint is a feature, not a bug; it allows for meaningful face-to-face time with vendors and, perhaps more importantly, with fellow operators. We are an industry built on shared knowledge, and the networking here is where the real “ROI” of the trip often begins. New Venue, New Efficiency
We have several logistical upgrades this year designed to streamline your experience. First, we’ve moved the host hotel from the Westgate to Resorts World. This is a significant step up in quality, offering a modern, integrated resort experience. For those of us tracking expenses and travel perks, it’s a Hilton property, so you’ll earn Hilton Honors points on your stay. The commute to the show floor is now easier than ever. The Tesla Tunnel (The Loop) links Resorts World directly to the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall, where both our education sessions and the trade show will be held. The West Hall is a state-of-the-art facility that keeps all exhibitors on a single level, eliminating the “hall fatigue” of multi-story layouts. Strategic Networking
We’ve listened to attendee feedback and added several new events to foster professional connections:
• The Level Up Lounge (Monday, March 16): A dedicated post-education reception at Resorts World. It’s designed to be a relaxed yet structured environment to debrief on the day’s sessions. • Rise & Shine Breakfast (Tuesday, March 17): This new event celebrates and supports women in the industry, featuring candid insights from female leaders. It’s open to all attendees, and I strongly encourage everyone to attend. I certainly will be there. • All-Industry Gala Reception (Tuesday, March 17): A staple of the show, but this year it’s integrated into our Resorts World “HQ,” making it the central social hub of the week. “Inspiration” Tour
I always set aside time to explore Las Vegas’s latest out-of-home (OOH) concepts. While high-budget Vegas attractions aren’t always directly transferable to a community FEC, they offer vital inspiration for hospitality and immersion. My “must-see” list for 2026 includes:
1. The Vegas Immersive District (AREA15 Expansion): Specifically, Universal Horror Unleashed. This is Universal’s first year-round permanent horror attraction. It’s a masterclass in rotating seasonal content – keep an eye on their “Krampus” winter expansion for ideas on how to keep your own attractions fresh. 2. F1 Arcade (Caesars Palace): A 21,000-square-foot venue with 87 full-motion simulators. This is “social racing” at the highest level, proving that high-end F&B paired with competitive gaming is a winning formula. 3. The Golf Evolution: Between Atomic Golf (the next-gen Topgolf competitor near The Strat) and boutique concepts like Swingers, Puttery and PopStroke, the “social golf” sector is exploding. Notice how they use tech-tracked balls to turn a traditional sport into a “live-action” arcade game. Working the Floor
The trade show floor is larger than ever. My strategy remains consistent: I head to the Shaffer booth first to grab their new-game flyer. From there, I move through the manufacturers, but I don’t just look at the cabinets – I ask for real-world sales data. IAAPA is where games debut; AEI is where we see the actual numbers from the first few months of operation. I also spend significant time with card system providers. We use Intercard at our centers, and even after years of partnership, I always find a new software feature or reporting tool that helps us cut labor costs or boost transparency. Finally, I check in with Redemption Plus, another supplier with which we have a long-standing relationship. The arcade’s “cost of goods sold” is managed at the prize counter, and seeing the new merchandise trends in person is the only way to ensure your prize mix stays relevant. Ultimately, I find that the incremental profit ideas and show-special savings I gather at AEI more than pay for the trip. I look forward to seeing you all in the West Hall! Howard McAuliffe loves to imagine and implement new products, business models, and ideas, and is CEO and president of Pinnacle Entertainment Group Inc. He’s an industry veteran who got his start in the business when he was just 16 and has 20 years of expertise in product development, as well as FEC and route operations. Howard’s wife Reem and young son Sami are the center of life outside of work. When he’s not working, Howard can be found enjoying the outdoors, hiking, fishing and mountaineering. Traveling anywhere new or to old favorites like the American West is a passion. Readers can visit www.grouppinnacle.com for more information or contact Howard at [email protected], he welcomes positive as well as constructive feedback and counterpoints.

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v3)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 172d80fd-c111-4cee-a412-02d0bc4b10ad*