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Amusements of America and the CCEA had a midway contract for 32 years, from 1964 to 1996. An American family-owned business, run by the Vivonas, Amusements of America has for many years been one of the largest midway operators in North America -- a respectable company, which served the fair well for all the years of their contract. |
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A small controversy arose in 1970 regarding the contract between the midway company and the CCEA. Alderman Gale Kerwin claimed that the CCEA was losing as much as $500,000 annually from not managing their own midway by nixing Amusements of America as the "middle man." But, as Claude Bennett, city controller and CCEA Director at the time, pointed out in a Sept. 22, 1970, Ottawa Journal article, the CCEA had more important things to do than coordinate a number of independent ride and concession operators when they could hire a midway company to do the administration for them. To put the ensuing public speculation to rest, the CCEA hired a consultant in 1971 to assess whether coordinating independent midway operators would, in fact, save the fair money. The consultant concluded that they would only save $45,000 annually if they did it themselves and would face a whopping $150,000 in start-up costs. Since the CCEA did not have the time to juggle the administration of the midway anyway, they decided to stick with contracting the midway to companies specializing in the field. After more than three decades with Amusements of America, the CCEA discontinued their contract. The CCEA wanted to try a new midway company to help them restore their finances to ensure another 109 years for the fair. They invested this hope in Canada's Conklin Shows. |
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