Just a quick report, and not a happy one. I stopped in briefly at Fun Land on Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach, FL, yesterday, and I'm sorry to say that another great old arcade is almost history, at least as far as "Golden Age" games are concerned. Once upon a time (really as recently as about five years ago), Fun Land was the last remaining "classic" arcade in PCB. These days there are only two 80's games left, what looks like a rebuilt Arkenoid, and a large-screen (I'd guess 25") Galaga/Ms. Pac re-release. Other than that, all the video games are pretty contemporary.
Shame... the "Redneck Riviera" used to be an arcade hotspot, and it stayed that way well into the 90's. The arcade at the old Miracle Strip Amusement Park (the whole park is now completely gone, all the way down to the slab) was legendary all by itself. Fun Land hung on for a long time as a pretty good time capsule, but I guess the economic realities finally brought them into the 21st Century. There were a good number of kids in there playing, so I really can't fault the owners, but... well, if you're over, say, 35, you know how it feels.
Shame... the "Redneck Riviera" used to be an arcade hotspot, and it stayed that way well into the 90's. The arcade at the old Miracle Strip Amusement Park (the whole park is now completely gone, all the way down to the slab) was legendary all by itself. Fun Land hung on for a long time as a pretty good time capsule, but I guess the economic realities finally brought them into the 21st Century. There were a good number of kids in there playing, so I really can't fault the owners, but... well, if you're over, say, 35, you know how it feels.
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