May 28, 2014: Why Airport Meeting Rooms Are Taking Off, Cities Drop Bids for Winter Olympics, Producers Try a Comic Con for Books

1. WHY AIRPORT MEETING ROOMS ARE TAKING OFF: More meeting planners are hosting events in airport conference space, overcoming concerns about limited catering options and jet noise because of the convenience. The New York Times: “As travel budgets shrink and companies scrutinize productivity, business travelers may discover that the next meeting destination is not a plush resort or downtown hotel, but an airport. … Seeing the demand, airports have been reconfiguring areas not suitable for other concessions.” http://nyti.ms/1k1MeYH

2. CITIES DROP BIDS FOR WINTER OLYMPICS: Citing the cost of hosting the Olympic Games and other concerns, cities such as Stockholm; Krakow, Poland; Munich, Germany; and Davos/St. Moritz, Switzerland, have abandoned their bids for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Deadspin: “There are only two healthy bids: Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Beijing, China. One's an oil-rich state ruled by a president-for-life, and the other's, well, China. That's no coincidence. With the Sochi games raising the bar to an absurd $51 billion, hosting the Olympics no longer looks like a winning proposition. The failed and aborted 2022 candidacies all have one thing in common: When actual citizens are allowed to have a say, they say they don't want the Olympics.” http://deadsp.in/1tOvDdY

3. PRODUCERS TRY A COMIC CON FOR BOOKS: Book Expo America, a trade show for booksellers and publishers in New York, is expanding its efforts to reach a consumer audience for the final days of the show by modeling its efforts after Comic Con. ReedPop, which manages New York Comic Con, is organizing fan panels, bringing in celebrities, and convincing exhibitors to buy into the concept. So far, the event has sold 8,000 tickets. New York’s Vulture blog: “ReedPop’s first big question was—and remains—who is BookCon for? … [Manager Lance] Fensterman thinks the $30 ticket will filter out casual gawkers looking for swag or signatures to sell on eBay. ‘We’re trying to find the passionate fan base,’ he says. 'Our events are not the auto show.’” http://vult.re/SPjp7y

* LOCAL NEWS *

COAST TO COAST:  Women’s Wear Daily: “Cosmopolitan magazine is expanding its reach with the launch of Fun Fearless Life, a two-day conference. The event is geared toward young women primarily in their 20s who are looking for career advice and inspiration. …The first conference will take place in New York Nov. 8 and 9 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, followed by a second conference in Miami’s Arsht Center on Dec. 6 and 7. Cosmo said it chose Miami in order to cater to its Latina readership.” http://bit.ly/1wkh9EL

BOSTON:  Sweet is now open at Chestnut Hill Square. The bakery offers custom cupcakes in flavors such as vanilla-bean and Boston cream pie.

CHICAGO:  Ramen-San has opened at 59 West Hubbard. The restaurant seats 90 and specializes in traditional and nontraditional ramen dishes.

LAS VEGAS:  Boutique hotel the Cromwell officially welcomed its first guests with a ribbon cutting on May 21, unveiling 188 rooms including 19 suites.

LOS ANGELES:  Clear Channel Media and Entertainment announced today the Pepsi Presents iHeartRadio album release party with Ed Sheeran on June 17 at the iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles.

The owners behind the Tortilla Republic restaurants in West Hollywood and Kauai, as well as Taste restaurants in West Hollywood and Pacific Palisades, have announced the opening of Tortilla Republic in Laguna Beach, slated for late spring.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau is expanding its customer training program, Miami Begins With Me, to a new training center at Miami International Airport. The free, voluntary classes cover topics such as the economic importance of tourism in Miami, Miami attractions and key annual events, Miami history, and customer service.

NEW YORK:  Flatt magazine is hosting a private launch party Thursday at the National Arts Club for its Book 7 issue, which features Neil Patrick Harris and Debbie Harry on the cover. Q-Tip will serve as DJ, and Fab 5 Freddy will host.

David Letterman will moderate an event featuring Jerry Seinfeld about Seinfeld’s Web show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, June 9 at the Paley Center for Media.

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

ORLANDO:  B Hotels & Resorts is opening a hotel at Walt Disney World next month. The property will include a restaurant from Jeffrey Chodorow, a full-service spa, an outdoor heated pool with a kids' zone, and technology including loaner iPads.

TORONTO:  The Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area will present the Annual Yorkville Exotic Car Show on June 15. On Bloor Street, the event will include a red-carpet vehicle display of luxury cars such as Porsche and Mustang.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Celebration of Service to America Awards, hosted by the NAB Education Foundation, is June 17 at the National Building Museum.

Chef Mike Isabella announced plans to open a Mexican cantina in Ballston in early 2015. Pepita, which will be located in the same building as his planned Kapnos Taverna, will be 1,200 square feet and have 40 seats inside with additional seating on a patio.

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

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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.

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