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<br /> GAMES, From Page 1 •
<br /> .� • the users are primarily in their
<br /> t. 5 teens and pre-teens, ages eight to 16,
<br /> bring in video games, but faced such :� -,1/ A t ,t and appear to regulate themselves fairly
<br /> severe media opposition that the plan was ; ti,,:...` 1 , {--,.,;.y well, with few incidents of vandalism.
<br /> scrapped. ,/,' /?
<br /> Nonetheless, supervisors are kept •
<br /> George Hamilton, director of parks ; ,,• ,,,�, visible in video game centers.
<br /> and recreation in Portland, Maine, was ,
<br /> stymied in his proposal for video game !y' • the primary reason for insta n
<br /> of video games is revenue. "The thinking
<br /> concessions by the Planning Board and
<br /> City Council. The negative recommends seems to be that the games already have a
<br /> tion came on the heels of a city council _r` proven popularity and as long as kids are
<br /> going to play them, they might as well do
<br /> move to close private video game arcades
<br /> because of anti-social behavior. ^� so in the more wholesome atmosphere
<br /> "The city council action was un 1' ,} 1'•?b5 ' s of our community centers than in the
<br /> fortunate because we could have amici �/% t�„�' E ,.`� a somewhat `seedier'atmosphere of arcades
<br /> xr P .ns1'` ,.'•'` t. i^�` or the local convenience stores,"explains
<br /> pated thousands of dollars in revenues ` j� f Z, � .
<br /> ,'� ,' " w•t r7 I 't a passage from the study.
<br /> and we could have controlled the use: by a + a > ,.
<br /> specifying operational hours, the Inca �M " "t, ,i t -' • recreation departments can earn
<br /> tions and the number of games," said '`" �••, f r,.;-wetti` •t'" "�• 't between $1,000 and $2,000 per machine
<br /> • I I imilton. l l r r per year, but profits arc no longer guar-
<br /> Yet, Hamilton has philosophic prob :' '° . ".!`•,'401' ' � anteed. According to the Seattle survey,
<br /> lents with video games being a healthy ,,;;,,,, , ,"r, , . , t„ " ",,,„ revenues have dropped drastically in the
<br /> form of recreation. last year, perhaps because the video
<br /> "I would rather encourage physical J 'l(/eo Games• saturation point has been reached.
<br /> and mental activity while interacting • that video games can coexist with
<br /> with another human being. Society gen- A Blessing other recreation center activities, and
<br /> orally is taking the humanity away from perhaps attract teens who otherwise
<br /> humans with its reliance on computer y� would never think of coming to a rec-
<br /> technology," Hamilton observed. or a Curse? reation center.
<br /> Tex Ward, director of the Conejo week per machine, ,with half of that Therefore, Seattle is at least embark-
<br /> Recreation and Park District in Califor gross profit accruing to the recreation ing on the video experiment. The pro-
<br /> nia, has no plans for installation of video
<br /> games in the next year. At the same time, department. posal was approved by the Board of
<br /> he harbors deep philosophical concerns In nearly all cases, the video vendor is Commissioners in April for consid
<br /> about use of the games. responsible for installation of those by the Recreation Center A
<br /> "I think they are time wasting and machines which are the latest rage and Councils, volunteer groups who ma e
<br /> for their maintenance. Keeping the new- recommendations on operations at each
<br /> money wasting and perhaps a precursor
<br /> to gambling." est and most popular video games on the recreation center. Final policy decisions,
<br /> floor is consistently important for busi- however, are in the hands of the recrea-
<br /> Individual Entrepreneurs ness. Most video distributors negotiate tion superintendent.
<br /> The Los Angeles Department of Parks a contract to share the gross profits
<br /> and Recreation is considering letting its equally with the recreation department. Minimal Interest
<br /> I 50 community centers act as individual Breitbart concedes that money can be Thus far, only seven of Seattle's 24
<br /> entrepreneurs in negotiating for the made from video game concessions, but recreation centers have expressed an
<br /> installation of video games. Each com- he notes that location is critical. In some interest in considering video gamerooms.
<br /> munity center then would keep the cases, video vendors would not bid on Public hearings in those communities
<br /> revenues for local programming. installation because the location lacked were completed in mid-September, with
<br /> But the recreation department is not business volume and the risk of vandalism final decisions expected as Dateline:
<br /> planning significant expansion of its cur- ran high. On the other hand, distributors NRPA went to press.
<br /> rent, modest video games concession, have negotiated contracts giving recrea- The Seattle staff recommended that
<br /> particularly following a barrage of citizen tion departments 60 percent of the gross two to six machines be installed in each
<br /> opposition to a plan to install 20 video revenues for locations which are proven community center. Other playing restric-
<br /> games in a largemoney-makers.
<br /> localpark. tions were left to the advisory councils
<br /> "Video games are associated with gang Seattle Completes Study for their input, according to Virginia
<br /> turf problems," noted Joel Breitbart, Swanson, director of recreation. The
<br /> assistant general manager. "Video arcades The Seattle, Wash., Parks and Recrea small number of recreation centers which
<br /> become hang-outs and then it becomes a tion Department has done one of the wanted to consider video games indicates
<br /> question of whose 'turf' it is. People, most extensive studies of the video "many communities are probably taking
<br /> perhaps wrongly, think of arcades as game dilemma, having weighed the issue
<br /> a wait-and-see attitude," according to
<br /> places that encourage loitering, graffiti, since February when the controversy Swanson.
<br /> dope smoking and selling, neighborhood was presented to the Board of Park But it appears that Seattle will ha
<br /> crime." Commissioners.The study found: least some community centers with
<br /> The department has video games at • three recreation departments and games. In fact, many recreation d
<br /> its Travel Town railroad museum and two private agencies had installed video ments are experimenting with the magical
<br /> Griffith Park Planetarium,both successful games of the 13 cities, three counties machines.
<br /> and trouble-free. Breitbart estimates the and four private organizations surveyed
<br /> machines generally earn $70 to $100 per in the metropol;• ittle area. See GAMES, Page 7
<br /> Dateline — 6
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