1. HOW AMC HOPES TO ATTRACT YOUNGER MOVIEGOERS WITH ELEVATED FAST FOOD: In an effort to attract a younger audience to its theaters, AMC is expanding its menu to resemble that of an upgraded fast food chain—with items including a chicken and waffle sandwich and a Southwestern hot dog. The New York Times: "It’s part of a strategy to attract younger audiences and stay relevant in the streaming age of HBO Go, Netflix and Amazon Prime. While small theater companies like the 25-location Alamo Drafthouse have been offering full-restaurant cinemas for years—AMC itself already operates a 60-location chainlet of Dine-In Theaters—this effort will bring greatly expanded menus to more than 400 theaters in the United States. Beating its national competitors to the punch, AMC Feature Fare will include cheeseburger sliders, four types of stone-fired pizza, chili dogs, salami bites, chicken tenders, three new popcorn flavors and—for the health-conscious—seven gluten-free snacks. 'And, yes, we now have a curly fry in the portfolio,' said Nels Storm, AMC’s senior culinary director, sounding like a proud papa. 'We wanted to think more like a restaurant company.' Mr. Storm promoted the offerings as the most important advancement in multiplex concessions since the invention of the armrest cup holder. AMC Feature Fare, which will begin rolling out nationwide this summer, comes with risks, starting with the cost of installing equipment and retraining staff. Mr. Aron said AMC planned to spend $700 million on theater upgrades in 2017. ,,, But Mr. Aron, who took over AMC in 2015 after serving as chief executive of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, has made giving the masses what they want a hallmark of his early tenure. In many ways, food is the last component. AMC has already been aggressively installing advanced Dolby sound and projection systems, extra-wide screens, and La-Z-Boy-style seats. AMC now serves alcohol in roughly 200 of its 660 domestic theaters, with plans to add 100 more this year." http://nyti.ms/2nZF8tx
2. ACADEMY ANNOUNCES NEW OSCAR RULES FOR TWO CATEGORIES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced new rules for the documentary and animated film nominations. Most notably, multipart documentaries—such as this year's winner O.J.: Made in America—will no longer be eligible for nominations. The Hollywood Reporter: "The Academy also announced rule changes that could end up favoring bigger studio films in the animated feature contest and a further campaign regulation designed to curtail excessive wining and dining of Academy members. Produced by ESPN, which aired the 467-minute documentary in five parts, O.J. also played in a number of theaters, which made it eligible for last season's awards under the existing rules. But while the film received numerous awards from other critics groups and various guilds—and its director, Ezra Edelman, maintained that he had always envisioned the project as one long film—there were those in the doc community who questioned whether it should have been treated as a film, rather than a TV series, for awards purposes. Moving forward, the new rule would preclude other producers of multipart documentaries from qualifying them for Oscar consideration by booking them into theaters. In announcing the rule change, the Academy said that 'the Documentary Branch Executive Committee will resolve all questions of eligibility and rules' about specific films. There does, however, appear to be one way a doc like O.J. could make the cut. O.J. played numerous festivals where it was regarded as a film in the run-up to its Academy-qualifying run, and if producers of future multipart projects follow that route, they could still argue to the branch's exec committee that their film deserves consideration." http://bit.ly/2nYeWPP
3. HOW ONE RESTAURANT BECAME A GO-TO DINING DESTINATION FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: Cafe Milano, an Italian restaurant owned by Franco Nuschese in Georgetown, has recently become one of the most popular Washington dining venues for members of the Trump administration. The New York Times: "It has been a destination for high-ranking members of media and of governments around the world since it opened in November 1992, on the same day Bill Clinton, now a Cafe Milano regular, was first elected president. It is a place where diners can enjoy relative privacy as they dine on grilled calamari and velvety burrata. It is also the exact sort of establishment that President Trump might have disparaged as a candidate, when he emphasized that his leadership would mean that the cozy bonds forged among the capital’s elite would be broken. But in recent weeks, several high-ranking members of the Trump administration have visited the restaurant to meet with journalists, socialites and even the occasional Democrat. Mr. Trump calls this city a swamp, and Cafe Milano is one of the places where members of his cabinet are learning how to swim. Franco Nuschese, the restaurant’s owner, became well known in this city for making high-profile people feel comfortable and guarding their privacy. For this reason, he rarely gives interviews. But in a recent sit-down in a private dining room, where one of his friends, the corporate consultant Juleanna Glover, kept close watch, Mr. Nuschese said that the Trump administration had, so far, been good for business. Originally from Minori, Italy, Mr. Nuschese, 56, learned the importance of discretion while managing restaurants in Las Vegas, another city where luck can change in an instant. As a policy, he will not publicly say who visits, but in an era where today’s lunch becomes tomorrow’s e-newsletter gossip tidbit, news has a way of leaking quickly. The evening after Mr. Mnuchin dined at the restaurant, sipping red wine with his back to the wall, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson shared dinner and red wine in a private room with Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia. Wilbur L. Ross, the commerce secretary, has also been spotted among the tables. Reporters often call the restaurant within minutes, trying to confirm the sightings." http://nyti.ms/2one7mG
* LOCAL NEWS *
ATLANTA: AC Hotel Atlanta Downtown is slated to open in May. Formerly a Holiday Inn, the 255-room hotel will have a 1,350-square-foot event space that will seat as many as 120 theater-style.
LAS VEGAS: Robert Irvine's newest Las Vegas restaurant, Robert Irvine's Public House, will debut at the Tropicana Las Vegas this summer. The restaurant will offer comfort food inspired by Irvine's culinary travels and feature a pub-inspired atmosphere.
LOS ANGELES: This year's Culver City Centennial Westside Food & Wine Festival will take place July 2 at Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. The event is produced by Todd Elliott Entertainment & Event Planning.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: Miami Beach Botanical Garden's Earth Day Eve Celebration will take place April 21. The event will screen National Geographic's documentary Before the Flood.
NEW YORK: Salesforce World Tour New York will take place May 2 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
The newly rebranded Hyatt Centric Times Square New York celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 5.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: The third edition of the Americas Cake Fair will take place October 13-15 at the Orange County Convention Center. The trade and consumer show is slated to attract more than 10,000 baking professionals, pastry chefs, industry buyers, cake artists, and retail bakers. Events will include a Sugar Art Fashion Show sponsored by Cake Central, cake competitions, and more than 100 hands-on classes, demonstrations and business seminars.
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE: AFR Furniture Rentals has acquired Phoenix-based Kool. Party Rentals.
TORONTO: Mouth of the Creek Park, a two-acre park designed by Public Work connecting CityPlace with Fort York, is slated to be built by 2019. BlogTO: http://bit.ly/2oJYiHI
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Rhode Island Avenue Main Street's Porch Fest will take place April 15. Eight residential and commercial porches will become stages for mini concerts and art during the event.
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 Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
Feed the Sheet: [email protected]
Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily
Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]
April 10, 2017: How AMC Hopes to Attract Younger Moviegoers With Elevated Fast Food, Academy Announces New Oscar Rules for Two Categories, How One Restaurant Became a Go-To Dining Destination for the Trump Administration
Latest in Food Trends