October 2, 2014: Inside Oprah’s Nationwide Tour, Movie Theaters Fight Back Against Netflix, Atlantic City Tries to Turn Around

1. INSIDE OPRAH’S NATIONWIDE TOUR: Oprah Winfrey is meeting fans across the country with her “The Life You Want” tour. So what’s it like to spend a day Winfrey along with 15,000 other people? As a visit to her Newark, New Jersey, show revealed, along with the self-help exercises, there is a great deal of event technology. New York: “We have each received a special Oprah mind-control bracelet that lights up to signal that someone is about to speak, to instruct us to do something, or to beam us up to the mothership. For Oprah, the bracelet glows the purest white. … Oprah has recently discovered SoulCycle. And now a blonde mohawked SoulCycle instructor is going to take us through the Soul 15, a workout made of basic SoulCycle elements that you can do without a bike. I intend to sit this out, but my bracelet is lighting up so I know I have to do it, because I’m afraid of what will happen if I don’t. All of a sudden all of the bracelets are changing colors while the whole audience is punching the air.” http://thecut.io/1wZOfc4

2. MOVIE THEATERS FIGHT BACK AGAINST NETFLIX: The three largest movie theater chains said they would refuse to show the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which is to premiere both on Netflix and on Imax screens. The New York Times: “The move is part of an effort at Netflix to break the so-called windowing system for releasing movies, with films made available first in theaters and then for streaming typically several months later. Theater chains in the United States have rallied against attempts to change the traditional model for releasing films, worried that movie fans might stay at home rather than pay for movie tickets. The theaters now typically play movies for three months without competition.” http://nyti.ms/1BBjn2p

3. ATLANTIC CITY TRIES TO TURN AROUND: Revel casino hotel, the once-gleaming but now-bankrupt property, was auctioned off Wednesday to a Canadian asset management firm that plans to reopen it. New York Post: “Revel is a brand-new trophy asset on the beachfront, which we are acquiring at a substantial discount to replacement cost,” said Andrew Willis, a spokesman for Brookfield Asset Management. “With our ownership of the Hard Rock in Las Vegas and the Atlantis Paradise Island in Bahamas, we have expertise underwriting and operating these types of multi-faceted assets. We anticipate material synergies between these three high-quality properties.” http://bit.ly/1vy5LE6


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

Reuters: “Communications and events company UBM Plc said it would buy trade show organizer Advanstar Communications for $972 million, becoming the top events organizer by revenue in the United States, but its shares fell on concern it had overpaid.” http://reut.rs/1pFFf67
 

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  The Boston Globe profiles the local couple who founded Movement, a free, annual fitness event that includes a yoga class in a secret location: http://bit.ly/1nAUbYU

CHICAGO:  Summerdale will open in Andersonville in October. The 80-seat restaurant will highlight the neighborhood’s history with vintage photography and local art, and menu items will include crispy buttermilk chicken and root beer floats.

LAS VEGAS:  Eric Brashear, who recently sold his game rental company AGR Las Vegas, has launched Shoot Las Vegas. The shooting experience is designed for event planners and D.M.C.s and offers a target shooting teambuilding program.

Haze Nightclub at Aria Resort & Casino will close at the end of October to make way for a new concept in 2015.

LOS ANGELES:  Amfar, the Foundation for AIDS Research, announced that the singer Rihanna will present the Award of Inspiration to fashion designer Tom Ford at its LA Inspiration Gala on October 29.

On Jimmy Kimmel Live Wednesday, DJ Steve Aoki debuted part of his new Neon Future cube set by V Squared Labs.

United Friends of the Children will host the sixth annual Cultivate L.A. culinary event on October 11 in Beverly Hills.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Bombshell Productions will design exhibitions for both Fendi and architect Peter Marino at Design Miami, which takes place from December 3-7.

HistoryMiami will present the touring exhibition "Ladies and Gentlemen … The Beatles" from October 10-January 18. It displays more than 400 pieces of memorabilia, records, rare photographs, tour artifacts, video, and instruments from private collectors and the Grammy Museum. The museum will host an opening-night party October 9 featuring tribute band the Beatlemaniax.

Hans Schmitt has been appointed general manager at the Naples Grande Beach Resort in addition to his role as director of asset management for Northwood Hospitality. The property is in the middle of an $18 million renovation.

NEW YORK:  Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum will host National Design Week with a lineup of more than 300 events starting on Saturday. A highlight is the National Design Awards Gala October 9 at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers.

The tapas restaurant Boqueria has opened a third location in the city on the Upper East Side. The restaurant has a 26-seat bar and cocktail lounge, 70-seat dining room, and seven-seat chef's counter. Lucy Harris Studio oversaw the design and construction of the restaurant.

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

ORLANDO:  The $515 million Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will officially open with a ribbon cutting November 6, followed by a series of concerts, movies, open houses, and a gala. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/1xCpiGI

TORONTO:  Delta Toronto will open in November. The 46-story hotel will have 567 guest rooms, a restaurant and whiskey bar, and 17,000 square feet of meeting space.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The women’s boutique Siqin is hosting a series of “Camouflage to Couture” events this fall at Tysons Galleria. The events invite women in the military—active service members and veterans—to get fashion advice from stylist Maggie Paine and offer brunch bites and beverages. The next event is October 19.

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

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Anna Sekula in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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