George Wiktor, President of TEA, welcomed everyone and pointed out audience members Mrs. Gregory Peck and Mrs. Frank Sinatra. He talked about industry changes, noting that many of the award-winning projects are outside of theme parks, and he also announced that the annual ceremony would be moving to Spring 2005 to better coincide with the industry season.

Bob Rogers from BRC Imagination Arts and Phil Hettema, of Hettema & Associates presented

Legoland Parks with the Thea Award for Special Achievement.

Then they presented the The Great Barn, Stone Mountain Park, Georgia, with an Award for Outstanding Achievement with Limited Budget. The Great Barn is an interactive play facility that opened in November 2001, is 12,873 square feet and cost $4 million. Themed as an old Southern farm, it uses "off the shelf" play equipment layered with newly patented "gaming" technology, which allows visitors to use the barn as one large interactive game where families and individuals can play side by side, win points, and see their progress on the scoreboard.

The Cerritos "Experience" Library, City of Cerritos, California, won for Outstanding Achievement as a Library. Cerritos has supported cutting-edge architecture instead of relying solely on classic styles. This library is no exception. It opened March 16, 2002. The storyline is "Honoring the Past, Imagining the Future�?. Accepting the award were Gloria Kappe - Mayor of Cerritos, and Wayne Pearson, City Librarian/Cerritos Team Vision Leader.

Stitch's Photo Phone - Disneyland Park/Walt Disney Imagineering, won for Creative Technology.

Accepting were Bruce Vaughn, Executive Show Producer,

and Shelly Short, Art Director, Concept Design and Set Design.

After that, it was time to chow down.

The next couple of presenters were Monty Lunde, Technifex, and John Robinett, ERA.

The Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, Ireland won for Visitor Center.

Paul Caty and from Imagination, Ltd., Project Director Ralph Ardill accepted. The project educates and entertains the guest while strengthening the brand and communicating company history. The Storehouse also functions as a corporate training ground, and place to meet.

Die Gläserne Manufaktur (The Transparent Factory) Dresden (Volkswagen), Germany also won for Visitor Center. It features VisionWorld, a spherical experience that engulfs the visitor in real-time streaming Internet data monitoring the pulse of the Earth. The Car Congfigurator is a huge touch-screen design station allowing guests to accessorize and color their dream car and put themselves into a photo with it. The Virtual Test Drive puts a real Phaeton onto a motion base simulator and allows the guests to get in and drive around a fantasy test track.

The Grove, Caruso Affiliated Holdings, Los Angeles, California won for Themed Retail.

Accepting was John Murphy, Director of Project Design Development.

George Wiktor then talked about companies involved in TEA who were having milestone anniversaries, including SmithGroup, founded in 1853!

Peter Chernack of Metavision Corporation, came to the stage for the next round of presentations.

CinéMagique, Walt Disney Studios, Disneyland Resort Paris won for the Attraction category.

Accepting were Tom Fitzgerald - Executive Vice President of WDI, and Senior Creative Executive,

and Chrissie Allen, Show Producer.

The attraction is a tribute to a hundred years of movie making, combining live performances with filmed media and special effects.