North American Midway Entertainment — Local services in Schaumburg Township

This is the second year of out hometown fair that we have gotten ripped off on one of the carnival games. I am aware of all of the rules, that the odds are stacked against us and so on. But the fact of the matter is that when someone spends a lot of time and money at the fair we expect to be treated with a little respect and not to be belittled by someone who cheats and lies. Twice today we were ripped off by two separate carnival games. The 1st game was at Paul's Fun and games. We waited in line. The child in front of us played. He did not complete the task needed (ie place the baseball in the hoop) but the attendant gave him a big choice prize anyway. Then my son stepped up, but he received nothing. Now my son is old enough to know that he didn't win so he didn't receive a toy. For this I am not as upset. The second game however, which was about 2 or 3 games down on the left was a different story. The sign reads "1 ball wins medium. 2 balls wins large. 3 balls win choice. 1 ball for $2. 3 balls for $5." As we stand in line we ask the attendant exactly how to win the Pokemon and he states that if we play we will win 1 small basketball. If we win two small basketballs we may trade them in for a large toy (ie the Pokemon that my son was eyeing.) So we paid $5 and won nothing. Paid another $5 and won a basketball. Than paid another $5 and won another basketball. Asked to trade the two basketballs as instructed in the conversation before playing. He states no that we cannot trade the basketballs in now. We reminded him of the conversation we had before the game and he said "I know but rules are rules." This is absolutely a terrible way to treat a child after paying the money and doing what was asked. We then went to guest services and spoke with Gary. He said he wanted to talk to the attendant. We took him to the game and he stated the whole time that he was a neutral party. Then as soon as we got there the attendant was gone. (I'm assuming he left because he knew that we were upset and stated that we were going to guest services) The new attendant explained the game completely differently stating there were four levels of prizes and said that you had to win 4 times in a row to even win the big prize. Which is impossible when you can only either buy 1 or 3 balls at a time and need 4 in a row to win. Gary didn't help as he stated that he has to go by what the sign states but the sign does not state that we have to win "in a row or buy 4 balls (when there was not an option to buy that many) to win. The sign states win twice win large prize ie Pokemon. I am extremely disappointed that no one was helpful and that these attantands do this on the last day because they know they can steal people's money and no one will care since it is almost closed. I do feel we were treated unfairly. I have been deliberating on going up farther to someone who doesn't only care about stealing the money from a 10 year old. I know this happens more often then people report and it's not about the prize for me. It's the fact that these attendants are ok with ripping off a 10 year old. I'm sure this email will get throw out without any thought but I just want to the Tulsa State Fair to know what is going on since I'm sure this does not get reported as much...

ANIMAL ABUSERS

They have hermit crabs and fish that they keep for prizes in a carnival game, but the conditions in which they are kept are brutal and abusive. Painted shells are toxic to hermit crabs, and yet that is what they have been forced to wear. I have noticed MULTIPLE crabs with broken off limbs. What kind of things are being done to the poor animals that their legs are broken off? Contrary to popular belief, recent studies show crustaceans can feel pain. When given sand, the hermit crabs can burrow and molt and can fix their broken off limbs. This brings me to my next point: they are kept in cages, WITH NO SAND. There is no way for the crabs to get better and they are forced to live in constant pain and mutilated limbs. Lastly, no sand is provided in their habitats that can be purchased and no care instruction sheets are provided to people who win them. Crabs are actually very high maintenance pets and need AT LEAST 70% HUMIDITY (achieved with humidifiers or being spritzed with water frequently) to breathe due to having hardened gills. The winner does not know this and the company does not provide it either. So the North American Midway Entertainment keeps their hermit crabs in poison shells, improper habitats, strangles them by not providing humidity, breaks off their limbs, and does not provide the winners with proper care instructions. This is extreme cruelty and under West's Annotated Indiana Code, Title 35, Criminal Law and Procedure, Article 46. Miscellaneous Offenses, Chapter 3: Offenses Relating to Animals, It is neglectful and punishable by law. I will be doing research on these laws and if i can, i will be calling the authorites if i see this abuse continuing at...

(Jsyk I edited this review today 8/13/24 first paragraph is the original review)

The last ride company at my fair left due to COVID-19, so my fair had to get this company for a replacement. Most of the employees (not all of them but most of them) are usually rude and have an attitude. If you do something they don't like, they will usually give you stink eye or in some cases, yell at you in Spanish. Also on the last day my fair was open they were already shutting off rides and the next day all of the rides were wiped from where they were completely. Oh yea and one of the rides were closed for the whole time the fair was open and they never repaired it.. don't know what else to say..

!!EDIT!! yet again, my fair hired this company this year to place rides out. Happen to ride rides today (8/13/24). Ticket stands are way different and are electronic. There are only 4 real-life people on the sides of the electronic ticket stands who only take wristband vouchers. 80-90% of the workers are still rude and bratty. Very few of them are chill and understandable. This ride company was also hit by inflation and shrinkflation very hard, with a $2 increase in all items. Rides also cost more tickets (not like that's a problem though because 99% of the population use wristbands.) Rides also don't run for very long.. they also re-did the wristbands and they are now electronic where you give your wristband to the worker running the ride who scans it with their phone. I swear if you are a fair trying to find a ride company I would recommend avoiding this company aswell as the companies who open their...