# PINBALL EXPO 2018 - LATEST NEWS

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2018-04-03  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2018/04/03/pinball-expo-2018-latest-news

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## Analysis

Rob Berk has acquired ownership of the Pinball Expo name and assets following a legal settlement with co-founder Mike Pacak. The 2018 show will return to The Westin North Shore in Wheeling on October 17-21, with Berk in sole control. The event will feature expanded exhibit space (additional 5,000 sq ft), a Stern factory tour, and George Gomez as banquet speaker.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Rob Berk is now the owner of the Pinball Expo name, assets, liabilities and contractual obligations — _Direct statement from Pinball News reporting on legal settlement_
- [HIGH] Completion of the buy-out from Mike Pacak won't be finalized for a couple of years with remaining points of disagreement — _Pinball News reporting on settlement terms_
- [HIGH] Pinball Expo 2018 will be held October 17-21 at The Westin North Shore in Wheeling — _Rob Berk confirmed to Pinball News; new hotel contract signed in Berk's sole name_
- [HIGH] The hotel has allocated an additional 5,000 sq ft of exhibit space for Pinball Expo 2018 — _Rob Berk statement to Pinball News about expansion plans_
- [HIGH] George Gomez, Stern's Chief Creative Officer, is confirmed as the 2018 banquet speaker — _Rob Berk confirmed to Pinball News_

### Notable Quotes

> "more vendors, more games, more bang for the buck"
> — **Rob Berk**
> _Berk's promotional statement for expanded 2018 Pinball Expo event_

> "the hotel holds him responsible for fulfilling the contract and liable for severe penalties if he cancels, so he had no option but to hold Pinball Expo there as originally planned"
> — **Rob Berk**
> _Explains contractual reasoning for securing Westin location over Schaumburg venue_

> "This is officially set in stone now that he holds the contract with the hotel"
> — **Rob Berk**
> _Emphasizes finality and control of 2018 event location and dates_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Rob Berk | person | Co-founder and now sole owner of Pinball Expo; acquired name and assets from Mike Pacak; organizing 2018 show at Westin |
| Mike Pacak | person | Co-founder of Pinball Expo; sold rights to Rob Berk in settlement; had announced competing show plans |
| Pinball Expo | event | Major annual pinball industry trade show; held at The Westin North Shore since 2008; 2018 edition confirmed for October 17-21 |
| The Westin North Shore | organization | Hotel in Wheeling hosting Pinball Expo since 2008; re-drew contract in Rob Berk's sole name for 2018; allocated additional 5,000 sq ft exhibit space |
| Rob Craig | person | Enlisted by Rob Berk to assist with Pinball Expo 2018 logistics including games hall |
| David Fix | person | Working on exhibit hall for Pinball Expo 2018 |
| George Gomez | person | Stern Pinball Chief Creative Officer; confirmed as banquet speaker for Pinball Expo 2018 |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; providing factory tour for Pinball Expo 2018; George Gomez is CCO |
| Pinball Palooza | event | Alternative show previously announced by Rob Berk in Schaumburg; cancelled without penalty when Pinball Expo location secured |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Pinball Expo ownership and control, Legal dispute resolution between co-founders, 2018 Pinball Expo event planning and expansion
- **Secondary:** Venue contracts and obligations, Industry show organization and logistics

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.55) — Positive sentiment regarding Pinball Expo confirmation and expansion plans; negative undertone regarding ongoing legal disputes and acrimony between Berk and Pacak. Resolution of ownership settled the immediate crisis but underlying tensions remain.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Rob Berk acquiring Pinball Expo assets with multi-year buyout completion timeline; acquisition includes venue contracts and liability assumption (confidence: high) — Berk now owns Pinball Expo name, assets, liabilities, and contractual obligations; completion to be finalized over couple of years
- **[community_signal]** Ownership dispute between co-founders Rob Berk and Mike Pacak over Pinball Expo name, assets, and control; dispute ongoing despite settlement (confidence: high) — Multiple references to legal wrangling, disputed dates, competing venue announcements, and unresolved points of disagreement despite buy-out framework
- **[event_signal]** Pinball Expo 2018 officially confirmed at original Westin location with expanded format and additional 5,000 sq ft of exhibit space (confidence: high) — Rob Berk secured new contract in sole name; hotel redrawn contract; dates October 17-21, 2018 confirmed
- **[personnel_signal]** David Fix assigned to work on exhibit hall for Pinball Expo 2018; Rob Craig enlisted for games hall logistics (confidence: high) — Explicit statements of their roles in 2018 show organization

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## Transcript

After weeks of wrangling between the lawyers representing Pinball Expo co-founders Rob Berk and Mike Pacak, Pinball News can reveal a number of developments.

![Rob Berk & Mike Pacak](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pinball-expo-2017/024-pinball-expo-2017.jpg)

Rob Berk & Mike Pacak

Firstly, Rob Berk is now the owner of the Pinball Expo name, assets, liabilities and contractual obligations.  He has made an agreement with Mike Pacak to buy all rights to the Pinball Expo name, although completion of that buy-out won’t be finaised for a couple of years and there remain a number of points of disagreement.

In the meantime, the Westin North Shore hotel in Wheeling – the home of Pinball Expo since 2008 and one of those contractual obligations in the name of Pinball Expo – has re-drawn the contract for this year’s show in Rob Berk’s sole name.

![The Westin North Shore hotel - home of Pinball Expo since 2008](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/shows/pinball-expo-2017/002-pinball-expo-2017.jpg)

The Westin North Shore hotel – home of Pinball Expo since 2008

That means, according to Rob, that Pinball Expo is back, both in name and at the originally-planned location of the Westin on the original dates of October 17th-21st, 2018.  He will no longer hold his previously-announced show called Pinball Palooza at Schaumburg and says he has plans to make Pinball Expo 2018 bigger and better than ever.

To do this, he has enlisted Rob Craig to help with several aspects of the show including the games hall, David Fix is working on the exhibit hall, George Gomez – Stern’s Chief Creative Officer – is confirmed as the banquet speaker, and Rob says that for the first time Pinball Expo has booked all the hotel’s exhibit space – an additional 5,000 sq ft – so he intends to expand all aspects starting with a larger game room and extended exhibit hall.  He also told us there will be a Stern Pinball factory tour as in previous years.

While Rob is pushing ahead with his plans, the dispute between Rob and Mike is far from concluded.  Mike had already announced his intention to hold a show at the Westin on the same dates, taking over the contract he signed on behalf of Pinball Expo for the hotel, with Rob announcing he was holding his a month earlier in Schaumburg.  Now Rob has signed a new contract with the Westin for the dates Mike intended to use, it is unclear where that leaves Mike and his planned – and as yet unnamed – show.  Rob told Pinball News that the hotel holds him responsible for fulfilling the contract and liable for severe penalties if he cancels, so he had no option but to hold Pinball Expo there as originally planned.  He told us he was able to cancel the planned venue in Schaumburg without any penalty.

While the acrimony between the two continues, it seems Pinball Expo will indeed be held at the Westin Chicago North Shore on October 17th-21st, 2108 with Rob Berk in sole charge.  Rob told Pinball News that this is officially set in stone now that he holds the contract with the hotel.  It will, he said, have “more vendors, more games, more bang for the buck.“

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 3efe0430-9658-443d-a625-89526db1623a*