Call Sheet #272: G.S.A. Planner Resigns, U.S. Considers Olympics Bid, V.I.P. Lounge at Middle-School Dance

BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #272 — Friday, 05.25.12

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Compiled today by Beth Kormanik in New York
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* INCOMING *

1. G.S.A. OFFICIAL QUITS: The planner who organized the infamous General Services Administration conference in Las Vegas has resigned. Jeffrey E. Neely, who had been on administrative leave, is the latest to go, following a congressional inquiry into the April 2010 event, joining G.S.A. Administrator Martha Johnson and her top two staffers. Neely still may face a criminal inquiry, The Washington Post reported. http://wapo.st/JqUsIR

2. TRACKING FACEBOOK FANS: An updated feature will allow companies to find out the percentage of brand-page fans who saw and "liked" posts. Mashable: "The feature, which also includes a breakdown of organic and viral responses, comes as Facebook begins to provide more analytics to advertisers looking to track their ROI across the social network. Post-IPO, the company is under pressure to monetize its huge reach for advertising purposes." http://on.mash.to/JqtFMN

3. U.S. BIDDING FOR OLYMPICS? The Washington Post: "The U.S. Olympic Committee is on the verge of ending a long and bitter financial dispute with the International Olympic Committee that will allow the United States to get back in the hunt to host future Olympic Games." http://wapo.st/KSs2nq

4. TEEN V.I.P.'S: Society galas, movie premieres, and the best nightclubs all have V.I.P. lounges, so why not a middle-school dance? A Los Angeles mother and blogger shared her outrage about the development at her son's school. The New York Times: "For an extra $5 on top of the $15 dance admission, her son says, students get to hang out in the 'V.I.P. lounge,' with a dessert bar and goody bags. 'What’s next,' Ms. [Marcy] Magiera writes on her blog, BellaNoise, 'bottle service? $10 for a jug of Coke maybe, served by a high-schooler in short shorts? While everyone else gets Capri Sun pouches grabbed out of a tub full of ice?'” http://nyti.ms/KfNndf

5. MCDONALD'S MARKETING: At its annual shareholders meeting yesterday, the hamburger giant rejected a plan to study how its food and marketing affect childhood obesity. It also heard complaints about its Olympics sponsorship and announced several new initiatives such as testing decaf and skim milk in McCafe beverages and adding more grains and fruits, new Happy Meal entrees, restaurant makeovers, and technology upgrades such as "mobile ordering in Australia, self-order kiosks in Europe, [and] delivery options in Asia." The Los Angeles Times: http://lat.ms/KOcvJ6

6. 'SOCIAL DRAWING' TREND: The TLC show Cake Boss is the latest to use a social-drawing app as a marketing tool, asking viewers to design a dream cake using Doodle.ly. The idea generates buzz for an existing series in a crowded market, but it has other benefits. The New York Times: "Doodle.ly illustrates how agencies are trying to develop intellectual property they can own and earn income from, given that in almost every instance, the advertising campaigns themselves become the property, in perpetuity, of the clients." http://nyti.ms/LeFhSi

7. DAYTIME DEAL: The Daytime Emmys announced a last-minute deal to air the show on HLN June 23 live from the Beverly Hilton. But the show has not named a host or even decided on a hosting format. CBS broadcast the show the past two years. New York Post: http://nyp.st/Kn6il2

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* THE WEEK IN EVENTS *

Here’s a look at 10 highlights from our event coverage this week, including the Volvo Ocean Race in Miami, the Billboard Music Awards preparty in Las Vegas, the Fragrance Foundation's FiFi Awards in New York, Juicy Couture’s Beach Weekend Packing Party in Chicago, and the Alliance Française de Washington Urban Corps Inaugural Gala. http://bit.ly/Ln2deS

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON: The Boston C.E.O. Conference is June 11-12 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. C.E.O.s from international biopharmaceutical companies will speak on panels and deliver presentations; industry leaders in venture capital, strategic consulting and private equity also attend. http://on.mktw.net/K18L64

Attendance was down at this year's Cable Show in Boston. The event drew 12,000 attendees; last year's drew 13,000. http://bit.ly/KT0eze

CHICAGO: Maison, a 140-seat brasserie in Lakeshore East, opens today and will host semiprivate events.

Celebrity makeup artist Billy B will speak at the Makeup Show on June 18.

The American Cancer Society hosts its Skyline Soiree at the River East Art Center July 17.

LAS VEGAS: On Monday, Steve Martorano hosted the 2012 Miss U.S.A. contestants along with the reigning Miss U.S.A. for dinner at his Italian restaurant at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Insomniac announced Thursday that tickets for the 16th annual Electric Daisy Carnival are sold out. The festival's producer anticipates more than 300,000 attendees over the three-day event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, June 8-10. MarketWatch: http://on.mktw.net/LxhPzf

Ticket Summit announced the lineup of panel sessions for its conference and trade show slated for July 11-13 at Bellagio Resort Hotel & Casino. For the first time, it will offer several different session formats. MarketWattch: http://on.mktw.net/LvM3m8

Las Vegas Weekly: "Fashion Week got off to a rocky start. First there was the ever-changing schedule and Web site, then the switch from open to the public to invite only. ... Despite all the mystery and confusion surrounding what happened to the slated events for Fashion Week, more than a few people benefited from the event." http://bit.ly/JvpeN2

LOS ANGELES: The world premiere for the Steven Barber documentary Until They Are Home will take to the Directors Guild of America Theater Complex on Memorial Day.

Betty White will be at Madame Tussauds Hollywood to celebrate the unveiling of her wax figure June 4.

Christopher Street West, producer of L.A. Pride, selected Molly Ringwald as the grand marshal for this year's parade.

Carolyn Muller Brown joined the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board as national director of hotel sales for Northern California.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI: Nicky's Week at RA Sushi, a fund-raiser benefiting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, kicks off Sunday.

NEW YORK: Setai Fifth Avenue ranks as number one in the top 10 New York City hotels list, according to ReviewPro. USA Today: http://usat.ly/KexRhQ

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO: Kimberly Lacy, co-host of HGTV's Curb Appeal, will offer tips today through Sunday at the Central Florida Home and Garden Show at the Orange County Convention Center.

TORONTO: The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies hosts its annual Spirit of Hope gala Tuesday at the Allstream Centre, with catering by Zuchter Berk Creative Caterers and a debate facilitated by CNN's Gloria Borger.

The Ontario Association of Architecture awarded the Ottawa Convention Centre with the People's Choice Award for favourite new building in Ontario.

WASHINGTON: New York Avenue Beach Bar is preparing to open this weekend and trucked in sand from Ocean City, Md. Meanwhile, Casa Nonna in Dupont Circle is closing.

The 22nd annual Chef's Best Dinner & Auction from the NACDS Foundation will bring together 50 DC-area chefs June 26 at the Washington Hilton.

The Cable Show 2013 announced it will meet at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center June 10-12, 2013.

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 



With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, Carla Warrilow in Toronto, and Rose Chevalier, Beth Kormanik, and Anna Sekula in New York.

BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com. 

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