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Recreation Commission Meeting <br />September 8, 2003 <br />Page Five <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />these would not be tolerated. The scope of providing the games would be threefold: provide <br />entertainment for the kids, money for the Rec Center, and a living for Hilton. Games to be <br />provided to the Rec Center would be played for 25 or 50 cents. A changer would be provided as <br />well as a key, which would give the Commissioner access to the machines. This has proved a <br />viable working procedure. Mr. Hilton would come to the Rec Center every other week to collect <br />and service. He has an employee who works nights and weekends for round the clock service. <br />Normally speaking, service can be done the same day. The reason he travels between Ohio and <br />New York is that he provides late model machines that operate well in a preventative fashion, <br />e.g., he buys special receptors that take both American and Canadian coins. Again, if Mr. Hilton <br />sees something that isn't making money, he will replace it as soon as possible. Mr. Gareau asked <br />if he tended to keep the same machines in place or rotated the stock. Mr. Hilton replied that the <br />most important thing is what goes through the cash box; however, he'd be the first one to replace <br />a machine if the income level was dropping from lack of interest. Mr. Gareau further asked if J.L. <br />Hilton provided redemption games. Mr. Hilton said that he has had a tremendous amount of <br />success with the claw crane machines which pull the toys. His philosophy is that he wants the <br />kids to win; if they can't win, they won't be back to play. Secondly, he caters a variety to the <br />location, such as hockey related items. There are football items, team logo pins, miniature <br />footballs, etc. Licensed items would be a 50 cent machine, but the standard crane such as the one <br />at Brunswick is 25 cents. The variety is changed regularly. <br /> <br />Mr. Varga noted that, in the vending area, his employees are paid by the hour. Their job is to get <br />into the location and get out. If there are items in the snack machine not being sold, he pulls them <br />out and replaces them with what will sell. There will be a variety of snacks: chips, pretzels, nuts, <br />cookies, candy, health food bars, fruit snacks. <br /> <br />Mr. Hilton continued by saying he has not seen games such as the Rec Center has for years. As <br />stated before, the Rec Center will not have to ask him to change anything. He will be the first one <br />to move the game somewhere else; it's his investment. Capitalism is not a dirty word to him; he <br />has a family to support. Mr. Hilton also indicated that he wants to try a pinball machine, truly a <br />dying industry. There is still a demand for a pinball machine, and they can be very good. <br />Mr. DiSalvo added that when the parents drop off their children, it would be helpful to have <br />games for the adults as well. Mr. Hilton said that there are three good machines at the Rec: one <br />is the driving game. The Rec also has the old Pac Man game and Galactica. What would be put <br />in would be the new releases of those games. He emphasized that the adults must be catered to as <br />well. One thing that has been successful is the solitaire game; this should be tried. <br /> <br />Mr. Gareau asked Mr. Hilton about E-mailing accessibility. He replied that several companies <br />have tried this capability so far, and it has not proven successful as yet commercially. The only <br />viable on-line games are in place in bars, which would be cost prohibitive for the Rec Center <br />($6.50 to play a tournament game). That's not to say this won't be available in future. <br />Page 5 <br /> <br />