By Roger Porter
The 12th Annual Summit Gaming Open House and Customer Appreciation Days conducted April 8-9 at the Shrine Auditorium in Billings is but a memory, but what a memory.
Summit made an effort to include "something for everybody" with new games and gaming products, technical classes, guest speakers, great food, drink and great fun.
According to Summit Marketing Manager Curt Hagerty, the 2008 event was the "most successful yet." Hagerty said, "We appreciate the support our customers offer us and the unprecedented turnout is testimony to the fact that we don't just have business relationships with our customers but friendships as well."
After registering, guests entered a Las Vegas style casino layout where the lights of the video gaming machines danced and sparkled. Upon entering visitors could spin the big wheel for T-shirts, caps, can coolers and the like.
Regarding Summit's new poker and keno games, Hagerty said customer feedback touted them as the "best yet. I am confident they will certainly make an impact in the Montana gaming market and raise the bar even higher in regard to what can be accomplished in gaming entertainment."
Summit General Manager Kevin Peterson said, "I'm confident our friends and business partners had a great time and were able to experience what is going to be available for MegaPlex, MegaVision and our Royal Touch series of products.
"We introduced seven new games for this market," Peterson continued, "and updated our existing games for an even more exciting gaming experience. This is an exciting time for Montana' gaming industry and for Summit as we head into the second half of the year."
New to the event this year were guest speakers. Included in this inaugural effort were Al Arvish, project manager for the Gambling Control Division's new internet based electronic reporting system for the state's gaming machines, and Tom Oberweiser, GCD investigations supervisor. Arvish presented a slick demonstration on how the new reporting system works and Oberweiser addressed increasingly sophisticated casino fraud, particularly counterfeit win tickets. Guests were heard to comment on the highly informative nature of the presentations.
The technical classes were well attended by dozens of folks responsible for servicing and repairing video gaming machines. This year's classes offered something for both beginner and advanced personnel. Taught by Summit technical staff and component manufacturers, there was quite a bit to be absorbed in two days.
Summit well knows that "all work and no play" does indeed make Jack and Jill dull kids. To brighten up the show, there is always something going on to bring a twinkle to their eyes.
This year every hour 10 players were chosen to participate in video gaming tournaments. The winner of each set then had a chance to drag down some "bucks" from the "Grab for Cash Cube" which let loose of hundreds of dollars.
Each evening the main attraction was the Summit version of the old Let' Make a Deal TV show emceed by Summit personality Skip Johnson. Johnson would randomly choose a contestant from the audience who would then in turn choose between what Johnson offered--either cash or prizes--or whatever was behind one of the curtains on the stage.
Often a contestants would turn Johnson down only to choose a stuffed animal, toilet seat or tricycle hidden behind the curtain. However they could also have walked away with a complete software upgrade for any of the Summit line of video gaming machines.
It was a lot of fun and the audience had a barrel of laughs. Special kudos to Johnson and his lovely assistant, Ashley Adams, for a job well done.
Always a high point of the Open House is the great food prepared and served by Shriner Bob Snow and his staff. This year's offerings consisted of:
Tuesday lunch was pulled-pork sandwiches, Swedish meatballs, fries, slaw, cookies and brownies. Dinner was chicken cordon bleu, beef brisket, vegetable/rice blend, rolls and cheese cake.
Wednesday' lunch fare was sloppy Joes, chicken strips, chips, potato salad and cookies. For dinner it was New York steaks, fried shrimp, baked potatoes, salad, rolls and cake.
General Manager Peterson said, "It was great to meet everyone--some for the first time (Peterson has been at the Summit helm for just five months). I really enjoyed speaking with our customers and listening to their feedback on our new games and what Summit can do to make their businesses more successful. I truly believe in nurturing our relationships with our customers--if they're successful, then we're successful."
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, May, 2008, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.