60 Oculus virtual reality titles have generated more than $1 million in revenue – VentureBeat

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Facebooks Oculus division has picked up momentum, and the company said more 60 virtual reality games and apps on the Oculus Quest VR headset platform have generated more than $1 million in revenue.

In a blog post, Facebook Reality Labs Mike Verdu said that six titles have generated more than $10 million in revenue on the Quest platform, which includes the Oculus Quest and the Oculus Quest 2 wireless VR headsets.

In September at Facebook Connect, the company said that Five Nights at Freddys: Help Wanted hit the $1 million mark in just over a week while Onward achieved the same milestone in just four days, setting a new record for the platform. At that time, just 35 titles had generated revenue in the millions. The launch of Quest 2 in October accelerated growth, as did holiday sales, Verdu said.

Overall, that means one-in-three paid apps on the store have generated more than $1 million in revenue, Facebook said. Beat Saber, VRs most popular rhythm game, has sold over four million copies across platforms and over 40 million songs from paid downloadable content (DLC).

Above: The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners VR game.

Image Credit: Facebook

Population: One launched on both the Quest and Rift Platforms in October as a battle royale game, and it has surpassed $10 million in revenues.

Onward, made by a one-man development team, was a multiplayer Oculus Rift game that came over to Quest and has made over $10 million in revenue on Quest alone. Social VR apps such asRec Room, VRChat, Echo VR, Onward, and Population: One have also seen success in recent months, Verdu said.

Fitness app Supernatural has seen its subscriptions more than double since Quest 2 started shipping. FitXR has traction as a top non-gaming app on the platform with one of the highest retention rates. Sales have increased 535% from a year earlier in the fourth quarter of 2020, and the weekly active users have grown four times since Quest 2 launched.

Looking ahead to 2021 and beyond, were focused on the flywheel of developer success, Verdu said. With the surge of interest in the platform, were seeing many new developers and titles coming to Quest so many that we were temporarily swamped with new submissions. Were working on adding resources and changing our processes to accommodate all developers who want to launch games on Quest.

Above: Stats on the top Oculus Quest games.

Image Credit: Facebook

Upcoming games for Oculus include Rebellions Sniper Elite VR, The Climb 2 from Crytek, Ready At Dawns Lone Echo II, and further updates for Population: One.

Facebook also unveiled App Lab: a new way for developers to distribute apps directly to consumers safely and securely. The Quest Store will remain curated at the same high level of quality, but now App Lab allows developers to get an app directly to their community, even if it is early in development, experimental, or aimed at a unique audience.

Above: Resolution Games VR sales.

Image Credit: Resolution Games

And Facebook will also begin rolling out Messenger on Oculus to people who have logged into Quest and Quest 2 using their Facebook account. With this update, you can choose to chat with your Facebook friends anywhere they have Messenger, even if theyre not in VR.

Separately, Resolution Games said it saw a 500% increase in downloads at the launch of Oculus Quest 2 for its VR titles. The Swedish maker of VR games said itsBait! title has surpassed 4 million downloads across platforms, and all of its VR games are getting more traction.

At Resolution Games, we are seeing our titles reach significant revenue milestones more quickly than ever before, and I can confidently say that current headsets are contributing to it, said Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games, in an email to GamesBeat. The onus is now on the developers to continue to develop the type of content that more mainstream gamers are used to in order for VR to attract the broader audience that it deserves, which is what we strive for at Resolution Games.

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60 Oculus virtual reality titles have generated more than $1 million in revenue - VentureBeat

3 Stocks to Watch on Increasing Adoption of Virtual Reality – Yahoo Finance

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Virtual Reality (VR) as a phenomenon has been gradually gaining popularity over the last few years as it offers users an immersive experience. Users can enjoy being in an artificially created 3D environment, much like the experience they would have if they were actually there and the pandemic has also helped in accelerating that trend of adoption. Notably, per a report by Mordor Intelligence, the VR market was valued at $17.25 billion in 2020 and is estimated to reach $184.66 billion by 2026, witnessing a CAGR of 48.7% during 2021-2026.

The report mentioned that the VR market stands to benefit from the trend of remote working which became the norm due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, ARtillery Intelligence stated that the use of VR within businesses is estimated to grow from $829 million in 2018 to $4.26 billion in 2023, as quoted in a CNBC article. Moreover, the spread of the pandemic also led to an increasing adoption of VR within the healthcare industry. Notably, doctors and nurses received training via VR in order to fill in the gaps arising out of the shortage of time and resources.

Notably, the most-significant contributor to the adoption of VR has been gaming. Gamers have always felt the need to connect more with their games and VR is the most plausible way of achieving that since it offers a fully simulated environment, reflecting their favorite games. In fact, per another Mordor Intelligence report, VR in the gaming market is expected to witness a CAGR of 32.75% from 2021-2026. The report further mentioned that per a worldwide survey, 59% of respondents which included technology company executives, startup founders, investors, and consultants, stated that gaming is set to dominate the investment directed at developing the VR technology.

Meanwhile, the tourism industry is also set to receive a boost from the adoption of VR as the pandemic halted travel plans around the globe. VR stands to offer the best alternative to actually traveling to a destination as tourists can take a stroll of the place through their head-mounted displays or accessories without risking the spread of the virus. Notably, countries have already offered VR marketing efforts in order to revive their tourism industries, with Germany unveiling numerous immersive projects.

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The use of VR technology seems set to advance going forward with various sectors adopting it owing to the convenience it provides. This makes it a good time to watch out for stocks focused on virtual reality that can benefit from this trend. Notably, we have selected three such stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Facebook, Inc. FB develops products that enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality headsets, and in-home devices worldwide. Notably, the company has its Facebook Horizon VR platform, which allows users to create their own experience within the virtual world. Users can also immerse themselves in multiplayer games. Moreover, the company also owns Oculus, a VR headset company. Facebook currently has a Zacks Rank #1. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings increased 7.5% over the past 60 days. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 9.9%.

Alphabet Inc. GOOGL provides online advertising services and operates through Google and Other Bets segments. Notably, Google has emerged as a major player in the VR space with many offerings like its mobile VR platform, namely, Daydream and its Daydream View headset. It also has another platform called Google Earth VR, which allows users to experience famous places on the earth through virtual reality. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings increased 0.5% over the past 60 days. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is almost 20%.

Sony Corporation SNE designs, develops, produces and sells electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for the consumer, professional and industrial markets worldwide. Notably, the company offers PlayStation VR, which allows gamers to immerse themselves in virtual reality games. It currently has a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its next-year earnings increased 2.7% over the past 60 days. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the next five years is 9.5%.

Imagine getting in early on a young industry primed to skyrocket from $17.7 billion in 2019 to an expected $73.6 billion by 2027.

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3 Stocks to Watch on Increasing Adoption of Virtual Reality - Yahoo Finance

Innovative housebuilder takes virtual reality to the next level – Business Up North

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SME developer Kingswood Homes is revolutionising the way people buy new homes by enabling viewers to create their own internal floorplans using virtual reality technology whilst standing in their potential new property.

Buyers at Kingswood Homes developments in Lancashire and Devon can don a VR headset and see walls shift and rooms appear and disappear as they walk through the completed shell of a property, as part of the companys ground-breaking Shape Your Home concept.

It allows buyers to customise the interior layout of a property to match their own lifestyle and see in real time how the home would look with various floorplan configurations.

Kingswood Homes managing director Paul Jones, said: We launched Shape Your Home during lockdown, recognising that not everyone wants the same interior layout. The layout of a home is hugely personal yet is currently determined largely for the convenience of the developer not the customer.

We have reversed that and the VR technology allows customers to walk through an actual property and see how the different layout options would suit them. Rather than trying to make an existing floorplan meet their needs, our customers can now specify a design they have experienced which perfectly suits them from day one.

For example, one option is to turn a four-bedroom property into one with three en-suite bedrooms. Another would be to open up the ground floor to create vast open-plan living space. Its hard to visualise from a floor plan, but we can now let customers stand in the shell of a house and see it transform in front of their eyes.

It is remarkable technology but the point of it all is to give customers the best possible experience and help them create the home of their dreams.

Kingswood linked with established digital technology and VR specialists Animmersion UK to create the bespoke real time viewing technology.

Utilising gaming engine technology most commonly found powering the latest PC and console games, Animmersion UKs solution delivers experiences across multiple digital channels including VR, interactive touchscreens and online virtual tours.

The VR option links to an external tablet device to enable agents to support customer wearing the headset, guiding them and sharing the experience from outside the virtual environment.

It also aligns the VR space with the real world allowing the user to walk around the physical space safely, overseen by the agent, while experiencing the enhanced virtual presentation of their potential new home.

Samuel Harrison, Managing Director of Teesside-based Animmersion UK, said: Virtual Reality and VR headsets are becoming increasingly popular for leisure and business purposes and the technology is evolving at a rapid rate. This is enabling us to develop specialist immersive content for new applications like this project for Kingswood Homes that give users a very unique experience adapted to their specific use case.

Working closely with Kingswood Homes we have been able to push the boundaries to build a solution that combines technologies with a simple, easy to use and engaging experience for their customers. It also enables their agents to manage the experience with their customers from outside the VR to make it both an immersive and collaborative approach for choosing a bespoke new home.

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Innovative housebuilder takes virtual reality to the next level - Business Up North

Can Virtual Reality Help Reduce Abdominal Pain in IBD Patients? – Everyday Health

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Experts are just beginning to understand how mindfulness can improve the lives of people living with chronic disease, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Promising new research shows that virtual reality (VR) can be an extremely useful tool for helping kids and young adults practice mindfulness. The technology is becoming more available in childrens hospitals, and at-home headsets will expand access even more.

Researchers from Stanford University in California set out to determine how VR technology could be used to help children and young adults manage symptoms associated with IBD. They focused on short sessions centered on mindfulness and asked participants to rate their pain and anxiety before and after the session. They presented their findings at the 2020 Crohns and Colitis Congress.

RELATED: Mindfulness Meditation Reduces IBS Symptoms and Anxiety, Study Finds

The small study included 52 IBD patients ages 10 to 25 years old, all of whom were being treated for IBD at an outpatient clinic. They were asked to record their pre-session levels of pain and anxiety, and then strap on a VR headset. The session lasted just six minutes. First, users were immersed in a scene that helped them focus on their breathing. Their awareness was then shifted to a meadow with a waterfall. With some guidance, they used their senses to focus on different parts of the scene. At one point, a butterfly landed on a flower, then lifted itself back in the air and repeated the movement, bringing the persons attention around the scene and reminding them of the pace of their breathing. For the final part of the experience, the scene shifted to dusk, and the aurora borealis moved in the night sky. Participants could see their breath in front of them, both giving the illusion that the temperature had dropped and reminding them once again to focus on their breathing.

On average, participants reported feeling half as anxious following the experience. Pain, which was present in some but not all participants before the treatment, was reduced by an average of two-thirds.

According to Ana Wren, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Stanford Childrens IBD Center, who led the study, the team was glad to see that VR-based mindfulness appeared to be effective in reducing pain and anxiety in young IBD patients, but that wasnt the only information they found helpful.

What we were most excited about was the deep interest the participants expressed. They were so eager for this to be more accessible to them outside the clinic and they had a lot of useful feedback regarding how they would like to use VR-based mindfulness as part of their IBD treatment, says Dr. Wren.

Participants thought the intervention would be helpful in de-stressing and curbing anxiety before colonoscopies, having labs done, or during infusions. They really wanted it during or before any kind of pokes, and that was most interesting to us, says Wren.

According to Stephen Lupe, PsyD, a clinical health psychologist at Cleveland Clinics digestive disease and surgery institute, VR likely has a place throughout patient care. We can incorporate biofeedback, for example. People can practice lowering their heart rate and then see that reflected in the VR imagery, such as slowing down a waterfall, says Dr. Lupe.

In addition to improving a persons outlook on living with chronic disease, mindfulness has been shown to be an effective way to reduce stress, which is strongly tied to ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohns disease flares, though stress does not cause either disease, according to the Crohns and Colitis Foundation. Our brain and our gut are very connected, and when you have more inflammation in your body that can lead to more stress, it goes both ways, says Wren.

According to Lupe, managing all triggers is key. Its like a mixing board connected to a speaker. Stress is one dial, and if enough dials get turned up stress, environmental conditions, natural hormone cycles in the body, diet its like the speaker blows, or the person goes into a flare. By managing the overall volume of all those dials, we can manage flares, he says.

According to Wren, while VR-based mindfulness can benefit people of all ages, she and her team wanted to focus on how it can be used in a pediatric IBD center, since the technology is already widely available in that setting, and children are typically very open to using technology in new ways, having been born into the digital age. The intervention can also be given without a trained therapist present, further improving accessibility. And it holds their attention, says Wren, a key factor in practicing effective mindfulness.

Lupe notes that the way patients are treated is changing across the board, including in IBD.

We are understanding there is no such thing as just physical and just psychological. We are whole beings, and interdisciplinary care, working with a team of specialists from psychologists to nutritionists, is how we are going to do things moving forward, he says.

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Can Virtual Reality Help Reduce Abdominal Pain in IBD Patients? - Everyday Health

MultiBrush by Rendever Now Available on SideQuest, Providing Artists with a Collaborative Tool in Virtual Reality – GlobeNewswire

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BOSTON, Feb. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rendever, the leading provider of virtual reality (VR) for seniors, today announces its release of MultiBrush the first publicly available multiplayer version of Tilt Brush on SideQuest. It is also coming soon to Oculuss new App Lab, which gives developers a faster way to distribute new apps directly to Oculus Quest users.

When Google announced it was open sourcing Tilt Brush last week, Rendever Cofounder and Chief Technology Officer Tom Neumann immediately went to work developing a multiplayer version of the popular app that gives creators a way to make art in virtual reality. Within 10 hours, the team developed a working prototype of multiplayer - a feature that has been eagerly requested by Tilt Brush users for years. Given Rendevers mission to improve health through social VR experiences, Neumann and his team were able to leverage their extensive expertise to develop this version in record time.

At Rendever, bringing people together through VR has been at the heart of what weve done since day one. The first time I tried Tilt Brush, I was amazed by the level of creative freedom it offered. It felt like a whole new medium, said Neumann. It has a huge community, so naturally multiplayer has been one of the most requested features. When it was open sourced, we saw a perfect opportunity to dive in and make multiplayer a reality.

Rendevers VR platform is used by senior living communities and healthcare organizations across North America and Australia to help reduce depression and loneliness by fostering personal connections through shared experiences in VR. Seniors can check off bucket list items together, travel the world virtually, and share stories. Now, MultiBrush by Rendever will open new doors to those already using the VR platform. From RendeverLive sessions featuring VR artists to immersive art therapy, there are countless opportunities for the Rendever community and the Tilt Brush community to come together in the near future.

Through VR, we see a world where social connection is easier than ever, even during times when were physically distanced, continued Neumann. Our hope is that through working hand-in-hand with creators, we can bring our senior living partners and their residents into the world of VR artistry.

Through MultiBrush, VR/AR artist Michelle Brown developed the landscape imagery in the apps new logo.

To download MultiBrush by Rendever on SideQuest, click here. For more information on Rendever, visit http://www.rendever.com.

About RendeverRendever is overcoming social isolation through the power of virtual reality and shared experiences. From senior living communities to hospitals, their platform is being used to reduce depression and loneliness by fostering personal connections amongst populations where life has become limited. Participants in group sessions can check off bucket list items together, revisit meaningful places and share stories, stay engaged with family members, and more. Rendever is being used by high-profile senior living operators including Revera, Benchmark, and SRG, healthcare systems such as UCHealth and Cleveland Clinic, has research funded by the NIH and NIA, and has commercial partnerships with major organizations like AARP and Verizon. To learn more, please visit http://www.rendever.com.

Media ContactElsa AnschuetzUproar PR for Rendevereanschuetz@uproarpr.com321.236.0102 x233

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MultiBrush by Rendever Now Available on SideQuest, Providing Artists with a Collaborative Tool in Virtual Reality - GlobeNewswire

Getting Started With VR Training Is Easier Than You Think | ARPost – ARPost

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Like most business tools, professional development has seen a massive shift to the online world in the past year. People are working from home on a global scale like nothing weve ever seen before, and large in-person meetings are a distant memory.

Of course, eLearning isnt new. Weve been using digital tools to effectively train workforces for more than 20 years. Most corporations now recognize that a blended approach of online, instructor-led, pre-recorded, interactive and micro courses are the best way to teach skills and concepts to an increasingly mobile workforce.

As eLearning moves towards ubiquity, savvy CEOs and HR managers are on the lookout for better ways to integrate technology into their corporate learning model. Enter virtual reality.

People learn better by doing. Virtual reality helps to achieve the feeling of real-life experiences in situations where those experiences arent easy to replicate.

It also increases retention in learners. In 2016, a study of students in Beijing showed a VR-enhanced curriculum increased student test scores by as much as 20%. In the right circumstances, VR training can really fine-tune a business corporate learning program.

See Also: Study: Virtual Reality More Engaging for Students Than Traditional Educational Materials

Despite all of the benefits of VR training, many businesses arent sure how to get started. Virtual reality feels complicated, expensive and out-of-reach.

In reality, integrating a VR element in corporate training strategies isnt that different from any other style of learning. Contrary to perception, expensive headsets and other equipment is not needed. VR courses are compatible with everyday devices workers already have, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktop computers.

That just leaves finding appropriate VR content. With modern tools, content creation for virtual reality isnt as daunting as it seems.

There are three ways to go about itoutsource the creation, build it in-house, or curate great content from what is already available. Any one of these choices, or a combination of all three, is a fast-track to joining the world of VR training.

The easiest way to get started with VR training is to hire an experienced course designer. Depending on the bandwidth of the organization, taking time out to create an entire course from scratch VR or otherwise may not be possible.

An instructional designer comes with the expertise and skills to put together a custom course with all of the right materials and elements to be effective. They can take something mundane, like compliance training, and turn it into a presentation, story or game that engages learners and helps them remember the material.

Letting professionals take the lead usually produces content that is useful, professional and done on time. If the budget allows, outsourcing the creation of a VR course is a great way to get started with practical VR training.

For some smaller businesses, or for training managers who are very interested in the process, creating content from scratch makes the most sense. Its a common misconception that virtual reality content is expensive or that it requires specialized equipment. This is simply not true.

Building a VR course only requires the right application and a smartphone. To be successful, VR content needs a 360-degree digital environment, interactive elements and assessment tools.

Almost any cell phone has the capability to create a 360 photo. If the option isnt embedded in the camera function, multiple free or low-cost third party apps like Google Street View, Panorama 360, or Cycloramic will get the job done. Using a tripod produces the best results.

Once the 3D environment is uploaded, integrating interactive elements is as easy as dragging and dropping. It may take some time to arrange everything in a logical, workable manner, but with the right tools, its a very simple process.

In the process of building, results should not be an afterthought. How will the learners progress be measured? Quizzes, follow up courses and leaderboards are all popular options.

For routine corporate training like workplace safety, harassment prevention or sales, a variety of VR content already exists. If a custom solution isnt required, one of these off-the-shelf courses is a great way to test out the concept of VR training. The results will show whether or not investing further is worth it.

Buying a pre-built course doesnt mean surrendering the organizations goals and identity. Many off-the-shelf courses feature content libraries that allow for deep customization, so that individual courses can be edited to reflect the training programs specific needs. Branding can also be incorporated into most off-the-shelf VR courses.

Many course libraries offer a free trial period, making it possible to test drive VR content before rolling out a virtual reality module to all employees.

Curating training modules from existing VR content is one of the fastest, most cost-effective solutions available.

See Also: Leading Through Uncertainty VR Training Modules for Leaders Facing Crisis Situations

No matter which option fits into the budget and timeline, what is clear is that leaving VR training out of the rotation is a bad decision. More than one third of large companies are already using VR in training programs, including some of the largest Fortune 500 brands.

Virtual reality is cost-effective, low-risk, and a great teaching tool. Beyond that, with all of these simple options, getting started with VR is not as difficult as it sounds.

Virtual reality is here, not something that has to wait five or ten years to benefit every kind of business. Savvy training managers will recognize that now is the perfect time to invest in the future of their workforce.

About the Guest Author(s)

Andrew Townsend

Andrew Townsend is a leader, storyteller, photographer, marketer, indie film director, author, and father. His areas of expertise include digital media, marketing, and VR integration. He leads the eLearning Brothers Rockstars community, produces webinars, and shares tips on creating immersive video experiences. Andrew has over 20 years of leadership experience in both the workforce and his community. He can often be found hiking with his two sons and wonderful wife while taking pictures of the beautiful Wasatch mountains.

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Getting Started With VR Training Is Easier Than You Think | ARPost - ARPost

Outlook on the Amusement and Theme Park Global Market to 2025 – Rising Prominence of Virtual Reality Technology – GlobeNewswire

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Dublin, Feb. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Amusement and Theme Park Market: Size & Forecasts with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 (2021-2025 Edition)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global theme park market has showcased high growth during the previous years and projections are made that the market will rise progressively in the forecasted years i.e., 2021-2025.

The theme park market is expected to increase due to growth in urban population, increase in GDP per-capita, rise in middle class population, increase in international tourism expenditure, etc. The market faces some challenges such as, foreign exchange rate fluctuation, regulatory changes, threat of terror attacks, seasonal nature of industry, etc.

Moreover, some of the latest trends in the market are: surge in adoption of Internet of Things (IoT), rising prominence of Virtual Reality (VR) technology, budding Augmented Reality (AR) technology and innovations.

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the global amusement park market by value, by segment and by region. The report provides an analysis of amusement park market of the following regions: America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Middle East and Africa.

Growth of the overall global theme park market has also been forecasted for the period 2021-2025, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.

The competition in global theme park market is fragmented with several small players invading the market. However, the key players of the theme park market are Walt Disney Company, Merlin Entertainment PLC and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. These key players are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.

Regional Coverage

Theme parks can be segregated on the basis of category into international destination theme parks and regional destination theme parks. The theme parks can also be segregated on the basis of types into family theme parks, regional theme parks, property theme parks, educational theme parks, etc.

Theme parks have different admission policies that includes, pay-as-you-go and pay-one-price.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction2.1 Amusement Parks: An Overview2.1.1 Classification of Amusement Parks2.2 Theme Parks: An Overview2.2.1 History of Theme Parks2.2.2 Theme Parks by Category2.2.3 Types of Theme Parks2.2.4 Admission Policies of Theme Parks2.2.5 Admission Policies of Theme Parks: Advantages & Disadvantages2.2.6 Theme Park Lifecycle

3. Global Market Analysis3.1 Global Amusement Park Market: An Analysis3.1.1 Global Amusement Park Market by Value3.2 Global Amusement Park Market: Segment Analysis3.2.1 Global Amusement Park Market by Segment (Theme Park, Water Park, Arcades and Parlors)3.2.2 Global Theme Park Market by Value3.2.3 Global Water Park Market by Value3.2.4 Global Arcades and Parlors Market by Value3.3 Global Amusement Park Market: Regional Analysis3.3.1 Global Amusement Park Market by Region (America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Middle East and Africa)

4. Regional Market Analysis4.1 America Amusement Park Market: An Analysis4.1.1 America Amusement Parks Market by Value4.1.2 North America Theme Parks Market by Attendance (Top 10)4.2 Asia-Pacific Amusement Park Market: An Analysis4.2.1 Asia-Pacific Amusement Park Market by Value4.2.2 Asia-Pacific Theme Parks Market by Attendance (Top 10)4.3 Europe Amusement Park Market: An Analysis4.3.1 Europe Amusement Park Market by Value4.3.2 Europe Theme Park Market by Attendance (Top 10)4.4 Middle East and Africa Amusement Park Market: An Analysis4.4.1 Middle East and Africa Amusement Park Market by Value

5. Impact of COVID-195. 1 Impact on Global Amusement Park Market5.1.1 Impact on Global Theme Park Market

6. Market Dynamics6.1 Market Trends6.1.1 Surge in Adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)6.1.2 Rising Prominence of Virtual Reality (VR) Technology6.1.3 Budding Augmented Reality (AR) Technology6.1.4 Innovation

7. Competitive Landscape7.1 Global Amusement Park Market Players: A Financial Comparison7.2 Global Top 10 Theme Park Groups by Attendance; 20207.3 Global Theme Park Operators by Theme Park Opportunities Identified in North America, 2017-2022

8. Company Profiles8.1 Walt Disney Company8.1.1 Business Overview8.1.2 Financial Overview8.1.3 Business Strategy8.2 Merlin Entertainment PLC8.2.1 Business Overview8.2.2 Financial Overview8.2.3 Business Strategy8.3 Six Flags Entertainment Corporation8.3.1 Business Overview8.3.2 Financial Overview8.3.3 Business Strategy

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cx44bs

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Outlook on the Amusement and Theme Park Global Market to 2025 - Rising Prominence of Virtual Reality Technology - GlobeNewswire

Man breaks down in tears after he ‘reunites’ with his deceased wife through virtual reality [WATCH] – Times Now

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Man 'reunites' with dead wife through Virtual Reality  |  Photo Credit: YouTube

Virtual reality (VR) has changed the way welook at things. It has, in many ways, changed reality for people by giving experiences that are closer to reality.

In other forms, VR has changed the way designers, architects, doctors, and other professionals communicate and look and things.

But more than anything else, VR has the power of bringing back memories in some form of the other.

The power of this technological advancement was recently highlighted in the most touching way possible.

An emotional moment captured on camera shows a South Korean man breaking down in tears after being reunited with his deceased wife using virtual reality.

The virtual reunion was part of a TV documentary that creates VR experiences to allow grieving family members to see their loved ones who have passed away.

South Korea's Kim Jung-soo featured in the documentary to see his wife, who had sadly passed away from a serious illness.

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It took over six months to prepare for the couple's reunion as the producers of the documentary had to recreate various interaction movements of the late wife's voice, said reports.

Once everything was in place, the moment was created by utilising an actor's voice to make her sound like Kim's wife.

Jong-yun, Kim's second daughter, witnessed the emotional moment and also spoke about the relationship her father shared with her mother.

"He would kiss her from time to time when working, when eating, or when watching TV. Even when my mother was sick and lost her hair, my father would say that she was pretty and carried her around," she said.

The short clip shows Kim slow dancing with the VR version of his wife. After a while, he starts crying while continuing to dance slowly.

The clip, shared on YouTube channel MBClife, has collected over 8.86 lakh views.

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Man breaks down in tears after he 'reunites' with his deceased wife through virtual reality [WATCH] - Times Now

Sky Worlds to show Arsenal vs Manchester United live in virtual reality – Sky Sports

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Following the launch of Sky Worlds, the in-stadium thrill of live football matches is now available to all Sky VIP customers, offering them the chance to immerse themselves in a virtual experience from selected Premier League matches.

Sky Worlds allows Sky VIP customers to hop around the ground to watch the action from amazing new viewing positions, recreating the experience of attending games in the highest visual quality available in VR.

Available now on Oculus Quest headsets, Sky Worlds is a virtual reality sports viewing experience like no other, with Arsenal taking on Manchester United on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, following a string of successful broadcasts so far - including Arsenal's win over Newcastle on January 18.

This app is crazy! The 180 view of the live football is so good, just like being at the match in the stands. I really do love it! Oculus customer review for Sky Worlds

Sky Worlds users can now also co-view live matches and channels with their Oculus friends following the introduction of Watchzone.

"Sky Worlds is a fantastic example of how technology can help replicate real-life experiences and create truly transformative viewing experiences, something that is so important right now given the limitations fans have attending live events in person," said Matt McCartney, Head of Immersive Technology at Sky.

"Our work with Sky is the culmination of four years of effort and testing," said Miheer Walavakar, co-founder and chief executive officer of LiveLike. "To do this with the leading broadcaster and top global league is affirming of our comprehensive, customizable unique immersive experience and viewing capabilities."

Watch the video above to get a preview of what to expect, and click here to download the app to your Oculus Quest now!

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Sky Worlds to show Arsenal vs Manchester United live in virtual reality - Sky Sports

In Berlin, the Reference Festival Brings Fashion, Art, and Culture Together in Virtual Reality – Vogue.com

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But more than just offering virtual shorthands of physical realities, the Reference Festival also transformed IRL programming into a singular digital experience. Within the virtual room was a stage live-streaming performances by Anne Imhof, Eliza Douglas, and MJ Harper, styled by Stefano Pilati and Random Identities. In person, Imhof, Douglas, Harper and other performers were in the Zeiss Major Planetarium, a resounding structure, but online they were intimately accessible across a screen within a screen: The Reference Realities site offered a side stage to access their live performances. The festival also included talks with Hans Ulrich Obrist and Honey Dijon; HF Talk founder Iolo Lewis Edwards; and Tiffany Godoy.

Chapel Petrassi x Mowalola's installation at the Reference Studios space

All together, the festival was a testament to the ways creativity thrives even in the worst of timesand not just creativity, but ingenuity. Set against the mundane, repetitive nature of digital fashion weeks, Reference Festival felt the closest to the real thing, the way it was in the Before, where you could breeze through a gallery show before checking out a runway and having dinner with artists and friends on the periphery of the fashion bubble. No other virtual platform has figured out exactly how to capture that sense of communion and togetherness as well as the ways that fashion exists within a spectrum of art, music, and live performance.

A performance by MJ Harper and David Jainz with styling by Stefano Pilati's Random Identities

GmbH's fall 2021 collection

Reference Studios is also launching the Reference Prize, setting up a new generation of talent with backing from the Berlin agency and Slam Jam, the Milanese purveyor of streetwear. Applications are open to any type of creative, no degree needed, with the goal of spurring more inter-disciplinary conversation. Over email before the festival, Reference Studios founder Mumi Haiati said, With the festival we made a statement for innovation in our times, and expressed that creativity cannot be limited to a singular form. As the industry gears up for the womens fall 2021 fashion season, its a message more creatives should heed.

Michel Gaubert, Soo Joo Park, Kenneth Ize, and Tiffany Godoy on a panel conversation hosted by Reference Studios

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In Berlin, the Reference Festival Brings Fashion, Art, and Culture Together in Virtual Reality - Vogue.com

Strong storms possible throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast on Saturday – WPBF West Palm Beach

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Strong storms possible throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast on Saturday

Heavy rain, lightning and the potential for strong, isolated wind gusts above 45 mph are in the forecast

Updated: 11:50 AM EST Feb 6, 2021

Strong storms are expected throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast beginning on Saturday afternoon.Heavy rain, lightning and the potential for strong, isolated wind gusts above 45 mph are forecast to begin after 1 p.m. on Saturday. There is also the possibility of tornadoes.The expected thunderstorms are forecast to track to the northeast. Isolated severe weather is forecast for the early afternoon on Sunday as well.

Strong storms are expected throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast beginning on Saturday afternoon.

Heavy rain, lightning and the potential for strong, isolated wind gusts above 45 mph are forecast to begin after 1 p.m. on Saturday. There is also the possibility of tornadoes.

Hearst Owned

The expected thunderstorms are forecast to track to the northeast. Isolated severe weather is forecast for the early afternoon on Sunday as well.

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Strong storms possible throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast on Saturday - WPBF West Palm Beach

Toxin levels still to high to allow razor clam beaches to open – The Daily World

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Continued high levels of marine toxins will keep razor clam digs on hold for at least another two weeks.

No future razor clam dates will be announced until domoic acid levels in razor clams drop below the action level, read an update from Fish and Wildlife Wednesday. We have no projections of when that might be.

The season has been spotty at best, despite high populations of harvestable clams, due at first to COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings. There were a couple of digs in February and March 2020, with good results, but in May the state shut down all razor clam digging due to the pandemic and the concerns of local jurisdictions along the beaches about the crowds razor clam digs always attract.

In August, state coastal shellfish manager Dan Ayres said there were about 26 million harvestable clams estimated for the 2020-21 season, about double the previous seasons number. In September there was some digging allowed, and tentative dates were set for October, but those were canceled when the domoic acid levels crept above levels considered safe to eat. All December and January tentative dates were canceled.

Levels too high at all beaches

In clam meat tests on all the beaches from Long Beach north to Mocrocks, all are above the domoic acid action level for safe consumption 20 parts per million. Levels ranged from 22 parts per million at Long Beach to 49 on the north end of Copalis Beach.

Test digs and testing will continue every two weeks, according to Fish and Wildlife. Before a beach can be opened for the harvest of razor clams, protocol requires that all razor clam samples collected from that beach must test under the action level on both of two required sample collections, that must be spaced seven to 10 days apart.

As we reported earlier this month, razor clams are following the historical pattern of slowly depurating (losing) domoic acid, read the most recent Fish and Wildlife statement. We also are observing the levels bounce around some, as they have in past events.

The bounce around is a result the individual 12 clams harvested for sampling. The toxin load can vary greatly between individual clams. The laboratory protocol requires the clams to be cleaned and then the meat from all 12 per area are blended together. Then a sample of that mixture is analyzed and one result is reported for that area.

Information on razor clam beaches, regulations and seasons can be found online at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/razor-clams.

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Toxin levels still to high to allow razor clam beaches to open - The Daily World

Man dies following Friday shooting near Indian River Rd in Virginia Beach; One person arrested – 13newsnow.com WVEC

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Police said the shooting happened in the 1000 block of Mineola Drive.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. Police have arrested someone in connection to the deadly shooting that happened on Friday in Virginia Beach, near Indian River Road.

Virginia Beach Police said they received reports of gunshots being heard and that a person had been shot in the 1000 block of Mineola Drive.

When officers arrived on the scene they found 22-year-old Keyon Turner of Virginia Beach with gunshot wounds.

Virginia Beach EMS took Turner to a nearby hospital, where he later died from life-threatening injuries.

VBPD said it was able to identify and locate a possible suspect involved in the shooting through investigation.

Treshaun Lamont Snipes, 21, was arrested for 2nd-degree murder, use of firearm in commission of a felony and having a concealed weapon. He is currently being held at the Virginia Beach City Jail.

If you know anything about the shooting that might help investigators, call the crime line at 1.888.Lock.U.Up.

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Man dies following Friday shooting near Indian River Rd in Virginia Beach; One person arrested - 13newsnow.com WVEC

Murphy Calls On Feds To Address Severe Beach Erosion In Ocean Co. – Patch.com

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OCEAN COUNTY, NJ While the nor'easter that dumped as much as 3 feet of snow in the northwestern corner of the state, the storm's wind and waves were leaving their mark on Ocean County's beaches.

Up and down the county waves that reached 12 feet at the height of the nor'easter carved away, leaving 10- to 12-foot vertical dropoffs in Bay Head and Ortley Beach, and damaging dune walkovers in a number of sites. Towns cordoned off walkways that normally lead down sloped paths to the beach, leaving damage that will need to be repaired in time for the summer beach season.

On Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy said the federal government should be stepping in to address the severe erosion in Bay Head, Ortley Beach and other spots, and said his administration has been in touch with federal officials.

It's not just about getting some normal replenishment for the summer beach season, but about protecting the towns, he said. "They're completely exposed right now."

DEP officials surveyed the beaches in 81 sites from Raritan Bay all the way down the Atlantic coast and along Delaware Bay before the storm as well as after, so they could determine the extent of the damage, said Col. Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

"That's a lesson we learned from Superstorm Sandy," Callahan said.

"All of our beachfill projects in New Jersey are done in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection," said Steve Rochette, public affairs officer for the U.S. Army Corps Philadelphia office.

"After storms, we coordinate with NJDEP on the extent of erosion to projects areas. We're still getting updates from the state, but preliminary information indicates several areas experienced significant erosion to beach berms as well as some dune erosion," Rochette said. "In some cases, we're able to get approval to place sand to areas damaged by 'extraordinary storm events.' However, based on initial information, it does not appear this particular storm meets the parameters to qualify for this."

Rochette said there is beach nourishment in Ocean County scheduled for Fiscal Year 2022, if there's enough funding.

"In between nourishments, all operation and maintenance is the responsibility of NJDEP and the municipalities there," he said.

The state Department of Environmental Protection described the damage as moderate to major along the northern barrier island in a report by its Division of Coastal Engineering, with most of the damage described as sloped erosion. Bay Head and Ortley Beach had vertical erosion. Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park also had vertical erosion to a lesser extent, but the Island Beach State Park damage was extensive enough that drive-on access for sportfishing has been suspended for the time being. Read more: Island Beach State Park Closes Due To 'Severe' Beach Erosion

DEP officials said they expect that much of the material eroded "will return to the 'dry' beach in time following the storm," though how long that will take is unclear.

Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey Sierra Club said the damage is proof that climate change is worsening issues along the ocean.

" Considering that it wasn't that strong of a storm, the amount of erosion that happened shows that climate impacts and sea-level rise are getting worse," he said. "We need action and we need it now. We must be able to adapt and adjust so that our coastal communities are prepared for the next storm."

He also criticized the dune replenishment projects that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has overseen along the coast, saying they "are not designed properly for sea-level rise and storm surge."

Army Corps officials said the dune projects provided the protection they were put in place to provide.

"These dune and berm projects are put in place to reduce the risk of storm damages to infrastructure (homes, businesses, boardwalks, roads, utility lines)," Rochette said. "These projects have been effective serving that purpose for many years in many different communities during numerous storm events. If not for the added beach and dune, erosion and associated wave and surge impacts could have threatened infrastructure in some of the hardest-hit communities."

Click here to get Patch email notifications, or download our app to have breaking news alerts sent right to your phone. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Toms River Patch on Facebook.

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Murphy Calls On Feds To Address Severe Beach Erosion In Ocean Co. - Patch.com

Not Safe To Eat: Thousands Of Clams Washed Up Onto Revere Beach After Storm – CBS Boston

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REVERE (CBS) It was as if Mother Nature bestowed a huge gift for the local seagulls. Tens of thousands of surf clams were deposited on Revere Beach by this weeks Noreaster.

This really fits the model of a large storm, washing animals up on the beach. Surf clams are known to be mobile. They like to be in the high-velocity zones. So they dont mind being in that surface zone, and they can dig down deep pretty quickly. So we think there were probably caught in the near shore, and with the waves, they washed up onto the beach, said State Marine Fisheries Jeff Kennedy.

There are so many clams, you can hardly walk where they are. State officials made sure this was a natural event, not influenced by humans.

We did review other wastewater treatment plants, operations, just to make sure there were no complicating or connecting factor, said Kennedy

These are not the small juvenile surf clams you find in chowder, or with linguini. These are big adults.

And dont go collecting some for dinner. Just leave them for the seagulls.

Revere Beach is classified as prohibited and the clams are contaminated, Kennedy said. Theyre not safe to eat. Its a sanitary classification.

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Not Safe To Eat: Thousands Of Clams Washed Up Onto Revere Beach After Storm - CBS Boston

Duluth searches for solution to shredded metal cans found on Park Point beach – Duluth News Tribune

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I would say that Park Pointers are feeling kind of desperate with that shrinking beach there, from the canal to 13th (Street South), said Dawn Buck, president of the Park Point Community Club, describing the threat erosion poses to both public and private property.

So, we put pressure on the city to help solve that problem, she said.

Before Duluth dug a ship canal and constructed breakwalls to help safely usher marine traffic into the harbor, sediments and gravel used to be swept down the shore, steadily feeding the beaches of Park Point. But since human-made structures have disrupted that natural flow of material, lakefront beaches have steadily eroded.

Buck and other Park Point residents mobilized, urging city officials to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to bolster the beach. In response, the Corps arranged to place about 53,000 cubic yards of dredge material on the shrinking stretch of beach between August and September of last year.

Sally Rauschenfels, who lives in the area, said shards of metal began showing up on the beach shortly afterward. The problem first came to her attention when her dog, Daphne, started to limp during a beach walk, and an inspection of the standard poodles paw revealed a sharp piece of metal from a shredded can embedded in it.

Daphne made a full recovery, but Rauschenfels started to inspect the beach with greater scrutiny and found more and more metal glinting in the sand.

Before the onset of winter, Rauschenfels and a neighbor, Jan Karon, collected several bushels of what appear to be shredded tin and aluminum cans dating back to the 1970s.

Bags of partially shredded metal cans still have sand from the shore on Park Point on them at the residence of Sally Rauschenfels on Tuesday in Duluth. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

In January, the Corps of Engineers finally agreed to announce that it had a problem, advising beachgoers to exercise caution in the area and pledging to address the issue, which remains of unknown scope.

Were still looking at what we can do and what options we have at this point, said Bill Dowell, public affairs chief for the Detroit District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Until winter passes and that assessment is complete, however, Dowell said he didnt want to even speculate what those options may be.

The emerging issue has left more than a few Park Pointers crestfallen.

I feel a little embarrassed myself, Buck said, explaining that she had worked hard to bring about the beach project only to discover later to her chagrin that in trying to fix one dilemma, another problem had been created.

The Corps said the metal cans were likely accidentally dredged up along with about 27,000 cubic yards of material from an area of the harbor laden with unknown trash. They appear to have been shredded as they passed through the dredging process.

Dowell said the Corps routinely tests sediments for toxins before dredging begins, but the process would not necessarily have flagged cans in the area.

We go in and we do sampling and we do testing. But that testing involves a small area. Its not a giant scoop, he said.

Now that the metal shards are intermixed with tons and tons of sand on the beach, a thorough cleanup could prove difficult, costly and perhaps impractical.

But Dowell expressed confidence the Corps will be up to the task.

It is a complicated situation. But we, as the Corps of Engineers, are the nations engineers. Were given complicated engineering situations that need to be taken care of, and we work hard and we do that, right? he said.

As many of the shredded cans are made of aluminum, magnets would likely be of only modest help in dealing with the refuse.

Meanwhile, continually beachcombing the area to remove emerging metal shards by hand strikes 3rd District Duluth City Councilor Roz Randorf as an inadequate solution.

I think that as the situation is unfolding, its getting more serious than we originally thought, she said. Who knew there were so many pollutants and so much dumping in the bay where they got this material? It just blows your mind to think that there was so much garbage dumped into the lake.

Jan Karon, left, talks to Sally Rauschenfels about the bags of metal shards theyve picked up along the beach of Lake Superior on Park Point in October while they stand along the area Tuesday afternoon. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

Randorf suggested it may be necessary to actually dig up the dredge spoils and sift through them.

Its worse than they thought, she said. It may even be at the point where, you know what, we say: Just come get the material, and well replace it with something else. If its that time-intensive to start cleaning it, forget it. Removal is probably cheaper. Load it up. Take it somewhere else, and then bring in some new clean dredge materials.

Dowell said the Corps takes the situation seriously.

The men and women who work for the Corps of Engineers and the ones at the Duluth area office, a lot of them grew up there. Theyre members of the community. They have animals. They have pets. They use the beach. None of us want this. This is really a situation thats unfortunate. And as community members, we all just want to get this taken care of, he said.

Dowell offered assurances that the Corps will address the situation, although perhaps not to everyones complete satisfaction.

Meanwhile, plans are still in the works for more dredge materials to be placed farther down the same stretch of eroding beach yet this year at the request of residents, said Jim Filby Williams, Duluths director of parks, properties and libraries.

We have directed the Corps to develop and send us a written plan, describing how they will assess and mitigate the hazards from the 2020 beach restoration project and avoid any recurrence of those problems in future beach restoration projects, he said.

Sally Rauschenfels holds shards of cans, some from the 1960s, she found along the shore of Lake Superior near the dredging area in October. The cans are believed to have been kicked out from the dredging process. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

But not all residents are onboard, fearing that yet more surprises could arrive with additional dredge spoils.

While Karon acknowledged significant erosion of the beach in front of her own home and a fear of property damage from the encroaching waves, she also expressed misgivings about using more dredge materials from the harbor.

Karon recalled watching as dredge spoils were pumped onto the beach last year and said she was overwhelmed by what she described as a terrible toxic smell that gave her an instant headache.

Some of the neighbors want this, no matter the cost to the environment of the lake. I dont, Karon said.

Willis Mattison, a retired ecologist for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency turned citizen environmental advocate, has taken an interest in the situation and warned of the risks of using dredge materials from an area known to contain pockets of industrial legacy contaminants, such as the Duluth-Superior Harbor.

You cant predict what youre going to find. They didnt know and werent prepared to handle a surprise like metal cans that got shredded and presented their own hazard out on the beach. But they are the proverbial tip of the iceberg, Mattison said.

The cans are emblematic of a larger problem with dredging that its difficult, if not impossible, to characterize the material youre going to dig up in such a way that you can assure the public that the public health is protected and that the lake is protected, he said.

Multiple ring-top beer cans are mixed in with more current can shards found along the shores on Park Point near the dredging area. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

Mattison asked for a report detailing tests the Corps conducted on dredge materials both before they were exhumed and after they were deposited last year. But he said he was told he would need to file a Freedom of Information Act request to see them, which he did in November.

Were investigating the other unknowns that may alter the course of future dredging, and hopefully well get this straightened out before the summer dredging season, so that the needs are satisfied: The Park Point people get the beach protected, navigation continues, the lake is protected, and people are healthy out there, he said.

Buck, too, expressed a desire to know more.

I think people are wondering: Are there better options than dredge material from an industrial harbor for the pristine waters of Lake Superior? she said.

Dowel said the Corps would take added precautions if and when it takes up work again on the Park Point beach this year. He stressed that the discovery of shredded metal was extremely unusual.

Since 2013, we have put 1.1 million cubic yards of material in areas that need restoration around the Duluth-Superior Harbor, and this is the first time that we know of that anything like this has happened, Dowel said.

That may be the case, but Hamilton Smith, another Park Point resident, said to have the material show up on a popular public beach was a great misfortune.

They couldnt have picked a worse place for that to show up obviously, of all the restoration projects theyve done. It couldnt have been a worse place, he said.

Filby Williams remains optimistic that the fluke incident wont be repeated, however.

What happened in 2020 was an exceptionally unusual event, very nearly a unicorn. So, I think there is reason to be hopeful that with multiple additional meaningful safeguards and controls in the Corps process, that this already exceptionally unusual event will not recur, he said.

Filby Williams encouraged people to keep an eye on the big picture.

We have a longer-term public need to find a way to protect and restore that riverfront in a way that is protective simultaneously of the public beach and adjoining homes," he said. "That is a very difficult and exceedingly complex problem that is not going to go away. So, I think it is to the credit of everyone working on this that we are putting aside our frustration and staying focused on working the problem together.

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Duluth searches for solution to shredded metal cans found on Park Point beach - Duluth News Tribune

Three Mastic Beach businesses honored for servicing the community for 50 years or more – GreaterMoriches

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Three Neighborhood Road businesses with more than 165 years of combined service to the community were honored last week for their longevity by local civic organizations and town, county and state leaders.

Onofrios Italian Restaurant, in business for 70 years, was recognized, along with Mastic Beach neighbors Dicks Bait & Tackle and Johns Pizzeria.

These businesses have invested a lifetime into our community and have become true icons in Mastic Beach, Suffolk County Legis. Rudy Sunderman said. We are so very appreciative that they have stood with us in both the good times and the bad, and I look forward to many more years with them in the community.

At the Jan. 28 event, the three businesses were presented certificates thanking each for committing to Mastic Beach for 50 years or more.

It was refreshing to see community civics come together in yet another example of how supporting our common goal to make our community better makes us stronger, said Frank Fugarino, president of the Pattersquash Creek Civic Association (PCCA). PCCA Members agree: Congratulations to these businesses that stayed through thick and thin.

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine noted that small, local businesses with longterm staying power are the backbone of every downtown.

These three businesses deserve accolades for their resilience, despite the ups and downs of the economy over the past 50 years, he said.

Each have been successful anchors on Neighborhood Road for a very long time, and I commend their commitment to serving their customers and the Mastic Beach community, Romaine added.

Also attending the presentations were members of the Mastic Beach Property Owners Association, New York state Sen. Alexis Weik and a representative of New York state Assemblyman Joe DeStefano.

Below are photos of the certificate presentations.

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Three Mastic Beach businesses honored for servicing the community for 50 years or more - GreaterMoriches

Developers of Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel Want to Reduce Height and Massing, Eliminate Parking – RE:MiamiBeach

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David Martin and Jackie Soffer, the developers of the planned Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel, are asking the City to make changes to their Development and Ground Lease agreement to better position the hotel for financing when the market for new-build convention hotels eventually reopens. Specifically, they want to make design changes to reduce the buildings height and mass and first floor programming, eliminate the on-site parking requirement, and the ability to utilize meeting space at the Convention Center. Theyre also seeking extension of the outside dates for completion in the development agreement due to the pandemic.

Martin, CEO of Terra Group, and Jackie Soffer, Chairman and CEO of Turnberry, formed MB Mixed Use Investment LLC (MBMUI) to build the hotel which was approved by Miami Beach voters in November 2018. In a memo to City Commissioners regarding the request, Interim City Manager Raul Aguila noted the developers had made significant progress on the project before the pandemic.

In 2019, MBMUI completed the necessary pre-development requirements to seek financing, including finishing the design and costing, assembling the construction team, obtaining Design Review Board and Land Use Board approvals, executing a process to select Hyatt as the brand, negotiating an Early Site Access Agreement with the City to begin site work, and had preliminary discussions with lenders and equity partners, Aguila wrote. The developer was in the formal stages of financing the hotel project in January of 2020 when news began to surface regarding a virus spreading around the globe, followed by declarations of a global health emergency in early February, and a declaration of a global pandemic in March 2020.

Many sectors of the economy have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the travel and hospitality industries, Aguila continued. New-build convention hotel capital markets have not been available since the beginning of the global pandemic as lenders address more immediate concerns with existing hotels. Moreover, the impact on the hotel industry and its potential recovery path have driven hotel developments to be physically and financially re-envisioned to recreate a feasible hotel development.

In December, Martin told the Convention Center Advisory Board the financing market for new hotels probably wont be open for at least another year and probably longer. For us its a question of not will it get built, because it will, Martin told the Board. Its just a question of when the market will recover. The vaccine, he said, is going to be a critical piece of the overall puzzle." Since then, distribution of multiple vaccines has started though progress has been slow.

Aguilas memo noted, Beginning in the summer of 2020, MBMUI began rethinking the physical and financial elements of the Citys headquarter hotel project to deliver all the needs originally envisioned by the City in the most efficient way possible, with a goal to have the project to be ready to finance once new-build hotel lending becomes available.

Taking into account issues such as projected hotel performance and the path to recovery, construction costs, lower loan-to-value lending, higher debt interest rates and higher equity return requirement from lenders, Aguila said, the developers have re-envisioned the project while still delivering on all the requirements of the citywide referendum approving the hotel including the number of hotel rooms [800], lease payments, height restrictions, gaming ownership restrictions, convention center connection obligation, and the requirement for no City funding.

Among the proposed changes, Aguila listed the following:

In an email to RE:MiamiBeach on Friday, Martin noted, [H]istoric shocks to the lodging industry indicate that recovery to pre-COVID levels of convention hotel performance will likely take 4-5 years and then RevPARs [Revenue Per Available Room] will grow from there. We also believe financial underwriting by lenders will be more stringent as the market gradually recovers. Consequently, we had to make some adjustments to adapt to the realities of the market.The proposal outlined in the referral delivers all the material elements for the Grand Hyatt Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel which are desired by the market and which are required under the Approved Referendum. There is also an added benefit of creating new revenue for the City from the proposed use of City parking and meeting space, so we see these modifications as a win-win.The proposed design changes are consistent with what was approved by voters and the Design Review Board. In fact, the building's podium height will be lower and improve the urban plan, Martin wrote.

We are asking the City to confirm that these modifications are acceptable now so we can mitigate the COVID pandemics impact on the delivery timeline. This will allow us to realize that the Grand Hyatt Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel opens as quickly as possible so it can become the economic engine for our City and bring the quality of tourism that Miami Beach deserves, he said.Our goal is to finance the hotel as soon as the capital markets for new-build hotels opens up. We are just now beginning to see lender interest in projects that will open in the four year horizon, Martin added. With the City's approval, we will be ready to go when lenders indicate they are ready to evaluate and underwrite this and bring this project to fruition.

At their meeting this week, Commissioners will consider a referral of the requests to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee and the amendment to eliminate parking to the Land Use and Sustainability Committee. Recommendations from the Committees will come back to the full Commission for final consideration.

Rendering: Arquitectonica

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Developers of Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel Want to Reduce Height and Massing, Eliminate Parking - RE:MiamiBeach

City of West Palm Beach delivering update on water main break that prompted boil water notice – WPBF West Palm Beach

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City of West Palm Beach delivering update on water main break that prompted boil water notice

Updated: 6:04 PM EST Feb 5, 2021

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JOSSIE: MAYOR KEITH JAMES AND THE DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES FOR THE CITY JUST GAVE US AN UPDATE. WE ARE LEARNING THAT THE REASON THIS MAJOR BREAK HAPPENED WAS BECAUSE OF THE PIPES OLD AGE AND THE COLD WEATHER. THIS PIPE CAME FROM A NEARBY WATER PLANT. OFFICIALS SAY IT WAS LAST INSPECTED SIX MONTHS AGO BUT A SERIES OF UPGRADES ARE SUPPOSED TO BEGIN IN MARCH. >> THERE IS A $22 MILLION PROJECT, A PLAN WHERE THIS BREAK OCCURRED. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE WATER, SEWER MY AND STREET INFRASTRUCTURE. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ENSURE A REDUNDANCY. >> I SAW WATER COMING EVERYWHERE. IT WAS JUST, LIKE, EVERYWHERE. IT WAS ALL IN MY YARD, IT WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD. IT LOOKED LIKE THE ROAD SPLIT. JOSSIE: A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE DIRECT AREA ARE IMPACTED. WE SPOKE WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY HAD THEIR CARS DAMAGED BY THE WATER BUT MAYOR KEITH JAMES SAYS THERE ARE NO PLANS RIGHT NOW TO PAY FOR THOSE DAMAGES. HE DID SAY THEY CAN CALL THE CITY IF THEY HAVE DAMAGES AND GO FROM THERE. IN THE MEANTIME, AS CREWS WORK ON REPAIRS, A BOIL WATER ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR PEOPLE IN WEST PALM BEACH, THE TOWN OF BEACH. THE CITY IS USING CHLORINE TO DISINFECT THE SYSTEM AND ARE GETTING SAMPLES COLLECTED TO DETERMINE WHEN IT WILL BE SAFE TO DRINK, BUT FOR NOW, THEY ARE ADVISING NOT TO USE TAP WATER UNLESS IT IS BOILED. REPAIRS SHOULD BE DONE BY THE END OF THE DAY.

City of West Palm Beach delivering update on water main break that prompted boil water notice

Updated: 6:04 PM EST Feb 5, 2021

City of West Palm Beach holding press conference after water main break along Tamarind Avenue prompted the city to issue a boil water advisory.

City of West Palm Beach holding press conference after water main break along Tamarind Avenue prompted the city to issue a boil water advisory.

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City of West Palm Beach delivering update on water main break that prompted boil water notice - WPBF West Palm Beach

Mother of ‘Little Jacob,’ boy found dead on Galveston beach in 2017, sentenced to life in prison – KHOU.com

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Rebecca Rivera and her girlfriend, Dania Gomez, brought the boy's body to Galveston after he died in Houston. They dumped his body in the water off East Beach.

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas The mother of a 4-year-old boy who was found dead on a Galveston beach more than three years ago has been sentenced to life in prison.

Rebecca Suzanna Rivera was convicted of injury to a child by omission causing serious bodily injury after a seven-day trial that ended Thursday.

The child, who is known publicly as Little Jacob, was found on East Beach in October 2017. After six months of investigating, authorities were able to identify the body as that of Jayden Alexander Lopez.

Rivera and her girlfriend, Dania Amezquita Gomez, brought the boy's body to Galveston after he died in Houston. They dumped his body in the water off the beach that it was found on a day later.

Little Jacob's body showed signs of torture, "including scarring from being beaten with hangers, cigarette burns all over his back, ligature marks on his wrists and ankles, and numerous blunt force trauma injuries," according to Galveston County's Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Erin Barnhart. He was also emaciated. His cause of death could not be determined.

Rivera admitted that she would hit the boy with anything she could find when she got frustrated with her girlfriend. Gomez is also charged with injury to a child and testified against Rivera as part of her plea deal.

Rivera will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years in prison.

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Mother of 'Little Jacob,' boy found dead on Galveston beach in 2017, sentenced to life in prison - KHOU.com