![]() ![]() Pinball and arcade machines stretch out from one end of the vast open space to the other, loosely organized by era. It’s a gigantic, cavernous space constructed out of steel and concrete, specially built to keep the machines temperature-controlled in the Nevada heat. Inside, the building seems like a convention hall or warehouse. There’s a gigantic, casino-esque sign off the road, and the building itself is emblazoned in huge, sans-serif red text that simply reads “PINBALL.” The Pinball Hall of Fame’s own signage dwarfs that more recognizable image, though, and it’s impossible to miss. There’s no admission fee to get into the Hall of Fame, which is located just past the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign on Las Vegas Boulevard. And then, in 2021, Arnold and the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club moved into their current location, a gigantic structure custom-built to house the massive collection. ![]() A few years later, the collection moved again, down the street. Throughout the 90s, Arnold restored his collection and set up several hundred of them for play in an L-shaped building called “The Shed” he built next to his tennis court.Įventually, the collection outgrew the space and Arnold moved it into a spot on Tropicana Avenue in 2006. In 1990, he sold his share in the arcade to his brother and retired to Vegas, bringing his massive collection of nearly 1000 machines with him. By 1976, he was running a full-on arcade called Pinball Pete’s in Michigan. The Pinball Hall of Fame goes back to the early 70s, when owner Tim Arnold - just 16 at the time - bought a table and started operating it out of his garage. I’m glad I did, because it’s a treasure trove of video game and pinball history. But I was in Las Vegas for a couple of days for a work trip and looking for interesting spots off the strip to hit up while I was in town, and Fanbyte Podcast Producer Jordan Mallory suggested I visit the Pinball Hall of Fame. (Funnily enough, one of the very first pieces I wrote for Fanbyte was about pinball.) I have a hard enough time keeping the ball in the air, much less hitting trick shots or ramps. Somehow, I’ve just never gotten the hang of it. ![]() I have a confession to make - I’m terrible at pinball. ![]()
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