Page 28 - The Outdoor Showman JUL-SEP 2018

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AMUSEMENT PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS (IAAPA)
NAAPPB Annual Trade Show and Exhibit attendees examine a United States map of member parks.
Fred Fried, carousel preservationist, sits on a carousel horse prop at the IAAP Historical Exhibit booth in 1968.
1972 IAAP Manual & Guide, 29th Edition, published annually by the International Association of Amusement Parks
Serving the
Business of Fun
To reflect the broadening membership base, IAAP changed its name to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) in 1972. That year, the convention attracted 150 exhibitors and more than 6,000 registrants, including attendees from Greece, South America, Australia, Italy, Germany, England, and South Africa.
In 1980, Marion Knott of Knott’s Berry Farm became the first female member of the IAAPA Board of Directors, and IAAPA opened a second office, located in Washington, D.C. Five years later, the association moved its entire headquarters from Chicago to the D.C. area. That same year, Funworld magazine launched.
In 1986, IAAPA’s trade show was held in Orlando for the first time at the Orange County Convention and Civic Center with a record registration of 13,591.
Several years later, in honor of the association’s 75th anniversary, the conference and trade show traveled to Los Angeles for the first time. The 1993 Expo shattered previous records with nearly 25,000 registrants. Six years later, Rene Aziz of Mexico’s Grupo Magico became the first board chair from Latin America.
IAAPA’s international service continued to grow, and in 2001, the first international office opened in Brussels, Belgium. Eight years later, the IAAPA Latin America regional office opened in Mexico City, Mexico. The IAAPA Asia Pacific regional office opened in Hong Kong in 2010, ensuring IAAPA could serve its members globally while representing them locally. Three years later, Mario Mamon of Enchanted Kingdom in the Philippines became the first board chair from the Asia Pacific region.
In 2013, IAAPA continued to focus on its various constituencies and hosted the first IAAPA FEC Summit. The educational and networking event for FEC professionals became IAAPA’s fifth annual Signature Event joining the three Expos and IAAPA Leadership Conference.
BUILDING THE FUTURE
In the summer of 2017, IAAPA officially relocated its global headquarters team to Orlando, Florida. On May 17, 2018, the association officially broke ground on its permanent location, slated to open in summer 2019. The new 22,000-square-foot building, located on seven acres, will be within easy driving distance from the Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center.
While this is just a snapshot of IAAPA’s first 100 years, the association’s full history and timeline can be viewed online. Gathered by industry veteran writer, Jim Futrell, IAAPA’s centennial website can be found at www. IAAPA100years.org. In addition to the detailed historical timeline and photos, the site’s Oral History Project celebrates the pioneers, trailblazers, and risk-takers who make up the attractions industry. Shared in their own words, each interviewee provides personal stories, thoughts about the future, and their opinions about how the industry continues to inspire today.
26 THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN JUL-SEP 2018