Call Sheet #308: Coachella Sets Sail, Olympics Tickets Will Not Sell Out, Tour Operator Settles Discrimination Suit

BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #308 — Wednesday, 07.18.12

++ Sponsored by Event Leadership Institute ++

Compiled today by Beth Kormanik in New York
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 * INCOMING *

1. SERIOUS SOUND: Did you think the woosh of the arrow during an archery competition was live? Perhaps not. The Atlantic: "For the London Olympics, [audio engineer Dennis] Baxter will deploy 350 mixers, 600 sound technicians, and 4,000 microphones at the London Olympics. Using all the modern sound technology they can get their hands on, they'll shape your experience to sound like a lucid dream, a movie, of the real thing." http://bit.ly/Nv0EjB

The Hollywood Reporter: "London 2012 Summer Olympics organizers told the Guardian Tuesday that they have given up on their goal of selling all 8.8m tickets for the Games. Ten days before the Olympics kick off, organizing committee chairman Sebastian Coe said that soccer tickets outside of London have proven a particular challenge. As a result, 500,000 of 2.5 million soccer tickets would be removed from sale and the corresponding parts of stadiums would be cordoned off." http://bit.ly/OWzi2P

Olympic mascots—although generally weird-looking—usually have colorful histories. The Hollywood Reporter reflects on recent examples. http://bit.ly/O9UhA0

2. TOUR TROUBLE: A Los Angeles-based tour operator settled a disability discrimination suit that federal authorities hope will have reverberations across the country. Los Angeles Time: "Assistant U.S. Atty. Robyn-Marie Lyon Monteleone, who filed the suit, said the problem went beyond Starline and that people with disabilities often have trouble finding any tour that's accessible to them, even after contacting several companies. The office has received complaints about at least three other tour operators, she said." http://lat.ms/O5T3FZ

3. COACHELLA CRUISE: The Southern California music festival confirmed plans to set sail from Fort Lauderdale for two trips in December and head out to sea later this year. New York Times: "In setting out to sea Coachella is following a trend that has been gaining steam for years. In business terms it is seen as beneficial for both the music and travel businesses. Cruise line operators bring in a young clientele, and for promoters and artists, the trips can be lucrative opportunities during the industry’s usual winter doldrums." http://nyti.ms/Q5ftws

4. G.S.A. UPDATE: Agency administrator Dan Tangherlini addressed the lingering effects of the Las Vegas conference scandal at a McLean, Virginia, industry meeting sponsored by the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council and TechAmerica. Government Executive: "Tangherlini also addressed the sensitive issue of when to spend dollars on travel and conferences that employees throughout government face. 'If a conference is mission-critical and relevant to your project, then go do it,' he said. 'But if you’ve been to the same conference every year, perhaps you stop and think of whether there’s a strong business case for going.'" http://bit.ly/Oi5GQa

5. AOL HIRE: The company named Jolie Hunt to the newly created role of chief marketing and communications officer. She will oversee the brand's communications strategy, social media, and corporate events and be in charge of AOL's global brand development, partnerships and consumer marketing initiatives. Press release: http://on.mktw.net/MjpEdA


++ A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: Event Leadership Institute ++

Check out our editor's collection of top-rated video chapters from our class library, and sharpen your event insight. Our Suggested Summer Learning compilation includes content from David Merrell, Jes Gordon, Mindy Weiss, Preston Bailey, Mary Wittenberg, Colja Dams and others.  41 minutes | 10 clips | lots of ideas 


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

H.S.M.A.I. is looking for the best in travel advertising, digital marketing, and public relations work for its 56th annual Adrian Awards. Entry submission for award consideration is handled entirely online, and the deadline to enter is September 17.

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON: Chef Ming Tsai has plans to open a new restaurant in South Boston's innovation district. The restaurant will take over the long-shuttered A Street Deli.

International Special Events Society has elected two executives from Rentals Unlimited to leadership positions. Katie Gold Cole is president of ISES New England, and Filomena Felix is president of ISES Rhode Island.

Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse, which has three function spaces, has new seasonal antipasti, salads, pastas, and entrees, including braised lobster-stuffed squid and pan-roasted haddock.

CHICAGO: The Race to Mackinac is Saturday. Veuve Clicquot will host several related events, including a "Bon Voyage" party at the Wit Hotel on Thursday and a Parade of Boats viewing at Navy Pier on Saturday.

Filter Magazine will partner with S.O.Terik to host two Lollapalooza after-parties at Logan Square Auditorium August 2-3. Acts include Neon Indian, Passion Pit, and the Big Pink.

Purple Asparagus will host its Corks & Crayons Benefit at Greenhouse Loft on August 26. The event includes tasting from 12 chefs and a mini farmer's market.

Chuck's Manufacturing, a restaurant geared toward businesspeople, will open on Michigan Avenue in August. The space will have private and semiprivate dining areas, chargers for mobile devices, and will serve retooled American classics.

A multi-hotel complex and convention center is slated to open near O'Hare in about 24 months. The building is a project of the Intercontinental Regional Trust Center of Chicago and local developer Anshoo Sethi.

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Times: "UCLA's controversial plan to build a conference center and 250-room hotel on campus won crucial approval Tuesday from a University of California regents' panel. The $162-million project, to be built on the site of a garage south of the Bruin statue, was unanimously endorsed by the regents' buildings committee despite opposition from some Westwood-area residents and hoteliers." http://lat.ms/SGtZbD

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

MIAMI: Oceania Cruises’ newest ship, Riviera, arrives at in Miami November 29 for its inaugural winter season. Riviera will sail five Caribbean voyages over 12 departure dates.

NEW YORK: The Vendy Awards, dubbed the Oscars of street food, are scheduled for September 15 at Governor's Island. Judges this year include Kate Krader, Eddie Huang, and Das Racist.

New York Post: "City Buildings Department authorities said yesterday they’ve launched a probe of the jam-packed, booze-fueled Sunday-afternoon shindigs on the rooftop pool deck of the swanky Gansevoort Park Avenue Hotel. … The parties also appeared to flagrantly violate capacity limits listed on the hotel’s certificate of occupancy—raising questions about safety in case of a fire or other emergency." http://nyp.st/Of3tVy

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

ORLANDO: A 10.5-acre piece of land near Disney that is zoned for an upscale hotel is up for sale. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/LpAeLI

TORONTO: On Saturday, the CanJam festival will mix music, fashion, and art from both Canada and Jamaica, with performances by Reggae artists and a V.I.P. after-party at Sound Academy.

WASHINGTON: La Forchetta, the Italian restaurant that opened in April, plans to change its name. It's inviting the public to suggest replacements and will announce the winner August 16.

Gilt City DC Warehouse Sale will have a V.I.P. and media preview July 27 at Long View Gallery.

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, and Alexandra Brandt, Rose Chevalier, Julia Elstrodt, 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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