Speakers
Dennis Speigel
Founder & CEO, International Theme Park Services
Dennis is an internationally respected expert in the amusement industry with over 50 years of experience, including analyzing, developing, planning, designing, opening, and managing theme parks and attractions. Having founded ITPS in 1983, he has led his team in working on over 500 projects in 50 countries. Dennis is past Chairman of IAAPA, has served on its Advisory Board and Board of Directors, and has been recognized with its Meritorious Service Award and Lifetime Achievement Award.
Chris Perry
Executive Director, Waterpark Operations, Qiddiya Investment Company
Chris has been involved with iconic facilities throughout his career. He has worked in operations and consulting, including for Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai, Water World Ocean Park Hong Kong, Royal Caribbean’s Private Destinations (including Perfect Day at CocoCay), Baha Mar to build Baha Bay, as well as serving as CEO of an industry management consultancy in Thailand working on new projects in developing economies. Chris is now responsible for $4 billion worth of entertainment assets to be developed in a yet to be announced project in Saudi Arabia.
Piotr Chudzik
Director, Creative Studio, Water Technology, Inc.
Piotr is a registered UK and US Architect with a Master of Science in Architecture. He has over 20 years of experience in international architecture and theming, including for Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi, Meryal at Qetaifan Island North in Qatar, Royal Caribbean cruise ships, as well as in other sectors such as public transport, aviation, retail, and mixed-use developments.
Doug Smith
Global Head of Sales, WhiteWater
Doug found his home in the attractions industry in 1995, beginning with FEC and interactive water play products. He joined WhiteWater in 2005, first becoming the manager of the Attractions business unit, then Executive Vice President for WhiteWater’s Asia Pacific division, and now leading global sales activities as the company expands its capabilities in several regions. Having worked in Europe, Asia, and North America, he brings decades of sales experience spanning interactives, adventure play, water rides, and water parks and has previously served as a TEA board member.
Emily Colombo, Moderator
Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, WhiteWater
Emily started at WhiteWater in 2012 as a slide path designer, backed by a civil engineering degree from Queen’s University, where she received an alumni award for engineering excellence in 2018, and gives back by being active in the Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology. In her current role, Emily works with strategic partners, such as Water Technology, Inc., Martin Aquatic, and FORREC, and key accounts, such as Six Flags, LEGOLAND, Universal, and Meryal, to push boundaries and create award-winning water and theme parks.
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The experts will answer:
- What are the characteristics of an iconic attraction?
- What was something that was supposed to be iconic but didn’t work out?
- Is iconic an overused term?
- Why does a park need an iconic attraction?
- Can something become iconic with experiential enhancements?
- What can we learn from giga projects that are creating icons?
You will learn:
- How to evaluate your ride mix to ensure balance between iconic attractions and wide demographic appeal.
- How to engage guests in making an attraction iconic.
- Fascinating stories about the history and development of icons.
- Ways of making an iconic attraction on a budget.
- How to take existing attractions and make them iconic.
- How to maximize your ROI and drive successful marketing campaigns.