Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, set to open in October, is located near City Hall and the World Trade Center, and has many of the elements that people have come to expect from the luxury hotel chain. The 82-story building, designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern, stands 926 feet tall, has a full-service spa, 189 guest rooms (including 28 suites), and lush interiors designed by Yabu Pushelberg.The property has three meeting rooms, totaling 6,815 square feet, featuring ample natural light from double-height windows. The largest event space is the 2,990-square-foot Greenwich Ballroom, which holds 175 for banquets, receptions, or theater-style events and can be divided. It’s connected to a foyer that can be used for prefunction space. largest event space is the 2,990-square-foot Greenwich Ballroom. The hotel is also the site of the steakhouse Cut by Wolfgang Puck, the first Manhattan restaurant from the celebrity chef. The restaurant seats 86 in the main dining room, 32 in the lounge, and 10 at the bar. There is also a private dining room for 31 seated guests.
The Beekman, from Thompson Hotels, is another example of Lower Manhattan’s ongoing revitalization. The 287-room hotel, scheduled to open in August, was designed by Martin Brudnizki and has a distinctive nine-story atrium and pyramidal skylight. It will feature two signature restaurants that each have the same capacity: Fowler & Wells from chef Tom Colicchio is a modern American eatery that seats 90 or holds 100 for receptions, and Augustine from restaurateur Keith McNally is a brasserie-style restaurant with a combination of lighter dishes as well as French classics. Colicchio’s Crafted Hospitality is the hotel’s exclusive partner for catering and in-room dining. Temple Court, a second-floor meeting space, holds 145 theater-style or 100 for banquets and can be combined with a 12-seat boardroom. Lower-level meeting space, which the hotel calls the Cellar, can be combined to span 3,100 square feet and hold 300 for receptions.
Located at the former Childs Building in Brooklyn, the 5,000-seat Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk debuted in June. The covered outdoor venue includes a terrace-level concessions area and a rooftop cafe with casual American dining. In 2017, the venue will open a ground-floor restaurant and 40,000 square feet of publicly accessible landscaped open space that will include a park and playground. Live Nation holds a long-term lease to operate the amphitheater, which hosts a mix of concerts, family shows, sports, comedy, and multicultural events. The venue—the cornerstone of the Seaside Park and Community Arts Center—has hospitality services that are provided by Legends.
Located in Brooklyn’s North Williamsburg neighborhood, the William Vale has a rarity for a New York hotel: a 15,000-square-foot rooftop public park. Vale Park is on an elevated promenade at the hotel, which is in a building that has 40,000 square feet of retail and office space on the lower levels. The 21-story hotel, set to open in August, has 183 rooms and the 60-foot-long Vale Pool space, which offers light snacks and cocktails. For other dining options, the hotel has a 150-seat Southern Italian restaurant named Leuca that has private dining for 26 guests; the Westlight rooftop bar serving rare spirits and craft cocktails; and a food truck. NoHo Hospitality Group handles all food and beverage services for the hotel. For meetings and events, there is the 4,096-square-foot Vale Ballroom, which has 23-foot ceilings and banquet-style seating for 315 seated guests. The hotel has several other private and semiprivate event locations for groups of as many as 500 guests.
The Williamsburg Hotel, another newcomer to Brooklyn’s North Williamsburg neighborhood, is set to open this fall. Michaelis Boyd Studio designed the eight-story, 150-room hotel, which is encased in brick, glass, and Corten steel with double-height ceilings. The hotel’s 3,400-square-foot grand ballroom has 30-foot ceilings and seats 250 for banquets or holds 400 for receptions. The hotel’s numerous options for eating and drinking include Harvey, the hotel’s signature restaurant, which has a menu that focuses on freshly milled grain and vegetables. The hotel’s main bar is expected to open this fall. And scheduled to open in 2017 are the Roof, a rooftop oasis with an outdoor pool, bar, and café; a watertower bar; and a seasonal pop-up eatery called the Avenue.
Union Fare is a 25,000-square-foot restaurant and market in Manhattan's Union Square that includes a gastrohall, a bakery, and two bars. Housed in the complex is a contemporary American restaurant, which opened in May, and has a capacity of 185 seated or 450 for receptions. The restaurant has a raw bar and a charcuterie station. The venue has two spaces for rent for private use, as of September: one that seats 15 people and another suited for receptions of as many as 70 guests.
Avra Madison, scheduled to open in August on the Upper East Side, is a spinoff of the midtown Greek eatery Avra Estiatorio. Serving a mix of Mediterranean dishes and authentic Greek fare (with an emphasis on seafood), the eatery is a bi-level, 17,000-square-foot restaurant that seats 395 or holds 600 for receptions. During warm weather, large bay windows at the entrance of the eatery can open to a 22-seat sidewalk cafe. On the upper level, which holds 220 seated or 400 for receptions, trees in the center of the room stretch up to a skylight. The restaurant's entire lower level, which is available for private events, can hold 175 seated or 225 standing guests. On the lower level, a private dining room seats 30 or holds 40 for cocktails, and a wine cellar seats 12 people. The lower level also has a large, shallow reflecting pool in the center of the dining room.
HGU New York opened in July, and is the first boutique hotel project from Alfa Development. Located near the Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan, the 10-story Beaux-Arts hotel has 90 guest rooms and renovations from designers Peter Guzy of Asfour Guzy Architects and DD Allen of Pierce Allen Design. An indoor lounge called 1905 (named after the year the hotel originally opened) seats 60 or holds 75 for cocktails. The lounge has a fireplace and can accommodate live performances, recording sessions, discussions, and private film screenings. Another gathering space in the hotel is the lobby bar, which seats 20 or holds 30 for cocktails. All spaces are available for buyout.
Megu had two Manhattan locations that closed in 2014, but the upscale nightclub/Japanese restaurant plans to resurface in September at the Dream Downtown hotel. The 2,800 square-foot space, formerly occupied by Cherry, is open for dinner and will seat 140, including 10 in the main bar and six in the sushi bar. It can hold 300 for receptions The revived concept has new ownership under Jon Bakhshi, who also owns the Manhattan restaurant Beautique.
Located in the Boerum Hill neighborhood, Holiday Inn Brooklyn Downtown opened in June within walking distance of Barclays Center. Designed by Andres Escobar, the 14-story property has 245 guest rooms, including a penthouse suite. The property offers 2,500 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate 100 seated theater-style or 140 for receptions. The hotel’s pool and spa were scheduled to open July 31. For on-site dining, Brasserie Seoul has a menu highlighting Korean and French cuisine and seats 110 or holds 210 for cocktails. The hotel, which was designed with a focus on energy conservation, participates in I.H.G. Green Engage, and uses L.E.D. lighting and motion sensors to conserve energy when rooms are not occupied.
Opened in June to much public attention is Skyspace from U.S. Bank Tower owner OUE. The space on the building’s 70th floor offers 360-degree views from California’s tallest open-air observation deck, nearly 1,000 feet above Downtown Los Angeles. For events, the 3,500-square-foot private space and bar holds 300 for receptions. The space also connects to the new Skyslide attraction, an all-glass slide from the 70th floor down to the 69th—along the outside of the building. On the 69th floor, there are also two outdoor observation decks facing northwest and southeast, totaling 2,500 square feet.
This may be the one time it’s actually okay to get marker all over the furniture. Taking inspiration from the recent trend of adult coloring books, national furniture rental company AFR has introduced a new initiative called #ColorYourEvents, which allows guests to grab a marker and color in branded decals that are adhered to tabletops. (The company's Aspen Cocktail Table is pictured, but the decals can be used on other AFR tables as well.) Clients provide the artwork and markers, and AFR handles the decal printing and pasting. Pricing depends on the item and the size.
Think beyond the balloon animal. Self-taught “balloon twister” Addi Somekh makes unique, larger-than-life balloon installations, such as the pink poodle that greeted guests at the event registration area. In addition to funky decor, Somekh can provide live demonstrations for events, creating balloon hats and inflatable crowns custom-designed for guests’ personalities and style. He also hosts teambuilding exercises where guests create balloon flowers that are later donated to local nursing homes. Somekh can provide his services to events around the world; prices are available upon request.
Blueprint Studios showcased a variety of seating rentals at the expo. On the top row, from left to right, is the Giorgio ottoman in fur; the Bristol chair in green (it also comes in white, yellow, gray, light blue, and black); the Portofina lounge chair in brown and iron; the Louis chair in white (it also comes in black, silver, and gold); and the Whitby chair in green (it also comes in blue, brown, gray, yellow, and purple). On the bottom row, from left to right, is the Marais chair in red (it also comes in gunmetal silver); the Pino chair in green and chrome; and Portofino ottoman in brown and iron. Prices are available upon request, and the San Francisco-based company rents nationwide.
Olive & Cocoa provides high-end gift boxes. The company specializes in business gifting as well as social occasions, and can include marketing or promotional items inside the boxes. Gifts arrive in stylish wooden crates that can be customized with logos or other branding; it costs $395 to create a custom hot iron brand that can be reused on any order. Prices for gift crates vary depending on size and content.
For a unique amusement park-inspired entertainment option, the Conjurer provides live fortune-telling at events. Founder and performer Robert Smith, who is based in New Mexico, travels the country to work festivals and corporate events. Prices for corporate appearances start at $5,000, and for an extra fee, he can provide custom branding on fortune cards and custom audio fortunes for V.I.P. guests. Smith also offers a variety of magic performances for events.
New from national draping company Quest Drape is the Geo Panel. The geometric panels, introduced in January, are made from expanded PVC and hang from truss or the drape line. They are three-foot squares that come in six patterns; the solid pattern can be branded or used as a projection screen. Currently, the panels are only available in white. Prices vary depending on volume and location; the company has 19 locations throughout the United States.
Los Angeles-based catering company Fill ‘R Up Gastro Garage uses blow torches to cook on site, creating an interactive, entertaining option for events. The chefs—called “mechanics”—create sweet or savory “tanks”: brioche-style doughnuts that are torched and filled with nitrous foam in a variety of flavors. The company has worked with clients such as American Idol, Warner Brothers, and Social Media Week Los Angeles, and can travel to events around the country. Prices start at $10 to $20 per guest, depending on numbers, hours, and other factors.
Cotton candy is a summertime staple for people of all ages. A new twist on the classic treat is cotton candy illuminated by a colorful LED stick. Glo Cone’s flashy catering option costs $500 for a case of 400 glowing cones; the candy is not included. The company can provide their product nationally for events such as festivals, birthday parties, corporate gatherings, and more.
For a sustainable option, Bamboo Studio offers three product lines—two of which use parts of a bamboo plant and one that uses leaves from a palm tree. The result is dinnerware that is all-natural, disposable, and 100-percent biodegradable. The company’s plates, bowls, utensils, and other tabletop items have a clean, natural look, and custom branding can be created for corporate events, weddings, and more. The Arlington, Texas-based company ships nationwide, and prices vary depending on the item.
Forget the glow sticks or cell phone flashlights. Crowdsync Technology provides controllable LED wristbands for events or live performances that light up to the beat of music using specialized DMX control software. Wristbands last roughly six hours or can be purchased with replaceable batteries for multi-day use. They can also be printed with company logos. Prices range from $3.49 to $3.99 per wristband, and the company works on events nationwide. Crowdsync Technology can also be applied to festival-friendly items such as beach balls.
Los Angeles-based Plan-It Interactive provides carnival games, inflatables, and other event activities and equipment. They specialize in oversize games such as giant chess, Jenga, and Twister, as well as human bowling and obstacle courses. The games can be customized for events; the company can also organize teambuilding activities and scavenger hunts. Plan-It Interactive services all of California and Nevada, and can travel to other states upon request.
Create a virtual celebrity photo opportunity with Air Graffiti Dallas’s new augmented reality technology. The new system, which launches this summer, is intended for brands that are looking for ways to leverage their celebrity endorsement contracts. Air Graffiti Dallas shoots a brief video of the celebrity in advance, for example, walking into the shot, waving, or bouncing a ball. At the live event, fans stand in a designated photo area, and the video of the celebrity is virtually added to the image. Guests receive copies of the images, which can include sponsor branding, to share via email, text, or social media.
Photoboxx is a social media printing station for parties and events. When guests post their photos to Twitter or Instagram using a designated hashtag, the Photoboxx printer automatically prints a hard copy. Hosts can customize the background color of the prints and also add graphics or logos. They can also choose whether to display or hide information such as username, profile image, and comments. After the event, Photoboxx provides a report on hashtag usage, impressions, and reach.
The SloMo Lounge from Air Graffiti Dallas turns four seconds of video into a 30-second slow-motion playback. The system uses a high-speed, high-definition camera to record guests interacting with one another and with quirky props so the playback can reveal funny facial expressions. Guests receive a copy of the video, and they can select stills from it to print on site; all the content is shareable via email, text message, or social media. The activation can be set up in a 10- by 10-foot area and can be done with a plain white, black, or green screen backdrop.
Add a splash of bright colors to event photos with the Neon Video Booth from Foto Master. Guests stand in front of a dark backdrop and use an LED spray can or pen to create virtual doodles. A camera in front of the guests uses an algorithm to detect and track the LED light. The resulting image of guests and their artwork can be saved as a video or turned into photos, GIFs, or flip books, all with brand logos and messages. Hosts can choose the color and size of the neon pen.
Offering a modern spin on the classic Italian-American supper club idea, Sophia’s opened its doors in downtown Austin in July. Its menu includes familiar Italian dishes like orecchiette tartufate with cremini mushrooms, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, black truffle cream, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, and white truffle oil; whole roasted fish with lemon, fresh herbs, and breadcrumbs; and a spumoni bomb for dessert. The 3,700-square-foot restaurant includes a bar and lounge area, an open dining room with intimate dining coves, and an upstairs covered terrace, with seating for 100 indoors and 25 on the terrace.
Scheduled to open in August, the Residence Inn Austin Lake Austin/River Place will offer studios and one- and two-bedroom suites with separate living and sleeping areas. Along with fully equipped kitchens, the four-floor, 100-room property will provide complimentary grocery delivery service. Plus, the extended-stay hotel will offer one event room, measuring approximately 400 square feet and accommodating as many as 30 people.
The family-owned-and-operated Tiny Pies bakery recently expanded, opening a 1,000-square-foot South Lamar location in April. Larger than the original Burnet spot, the new space offers bench seating for as many as seven people, as well as a large refrigerated case stuffed with goodies, including individually-wrapped three-inch pies, Mason jar pies, and pie pops. The savory and sweet treats are made from scratch daily with locally sourced ingredients. In addition, the bakery also offers catering, customized corporate gifts, and pie case display rentals.
Located in downtown Austin, the Statesman Skyline Theater at the Long Center features a panoramic view of the city’s skyline, with standing capacity for 7,000. Opened in June, the venue also offers a terrace, which is adjacent to and overlooks the lawn and stage areas; it can be set up to hold a food court, full bar, and sponsor activations. In addition, the theater’s V.I.P. passes include access to an air-conditioned indoor lounge.
Founded by brothers Jon and Adam Schlegel in Denver, Snooze recently added two new locations in the North and South Lamar neighborhoods of Austin. The eatery specializes in hearty breakfast grub like pineapple upside-down pancakes, chilaquiles with roasted poblano hollandaise, and an egg sandwich on a pretzel roll. Plus, 1 percent of sales from each location is donated to the local community through goods and services. The North Lamar spot, which opened in June, boasts 3,935 square feet and a 174-person seating capacity, while the South Lamar location, which opened in May, measures 3,900 square feet and seats 186.
Michael Icenhauer, owner of the popular Rainey Street bar Icenhauer's, plans to open a second bar and lounge called Sellers in September. The one-story, 5,800-square-foot cocktail lounge, located in the Warehouse District, will hold as many as 250 people and offer lounge seating, along with a private event space. The new venue will have the underground feel of a 1970s basement lounge with velvet, brass, and wood details.
Opened in June, contemporary Italian restaurant L'Oca d'Oro has an open kitchen with a six-foot wood-burning grill and a family-style menu that includes house-made pasta, pork shank, fried rabbit, and roasted carrots with pistachio butter and honey. The 2,900-square-foot, 120-seat space also boasts two private dining rooms: the pasta room, where diners sit around a butcher-block table, and the prima room with a 10-person, U-shaped banquette. Design highlights include a barrel-vaulted ceiling, hanging greenery, sky blue and gold-plastered walls, and antique mirrors in the dining room.
Opened in May, Austin’s new music venue and event space Grizzly Hall features a rustic log cabin vibe, with lots of reclaimed wood and taxidermy. The 6,396-square-foot space, which was a former sports bar, holds 500 people and includes a new sound system, full-service bar, and a balcony to view the stage. In addition to musical performances, Grizzly Hall will host comedy, art exhibits, and film events.
In July, Austin-based La Corsha Hospitality Group opened Boiler Nine Bar & Grill, a 10,000-square-foot, four-story restaurant located in the historic Seaholm Power Plant. The space includes three distinct areas: the main restaurant with an open kitchen and a wood-fired grill that offers seasonal small plates; a rooftop bar with picnic-style tables; and a subterranean drinking den, located on the lowest level and serving cocktails from the ‘60s and ‘70s. The venue’s design preserves the bones of the power plant, including the original beams, which are complemented by custom-made steel and wood tables and floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The main restaurant seats 125, while the basement and rooftop bars each hold 80.
Slated to open in September, the Archer Hotel Austin, a luxury boutique hotel within the Domain Northside community, will have many nods to its home state, including distinct Austin murals in the guest rooms and locally produced snacks. The 171-room, eight-story property will boast over 6,600 square feet of indoor meeting space, 2,400 square feet of pre-function space, and nearly 2,500 square feet of outdoor space on the second-floor terrace. Five meeting rooms and two breakout rooms can accommodate groups of as many as 300 people. In addition, there is a boardroom that will seat as many as 10. The event space will offer dinner seating for as many as 350 people.
This year's Comic-Con International took place July 21 to 24 in and around the San Diego Convention Center. Amazon Village partnered with NVE: The Experience Agency to host activations for some of Amazon's shows. The Man in the High Castle experience had a pop-up museum and a virtual-reality experience using Samsung Vive VR headset technology that immersed fans in the show's world, which imagines that the Nazis had won World War II. The 4-D virtual-reality experience included recreations of scenes from the show, an atomizer for scent, and a rigged trail that moved. Participants could also take 360-degree photos to share on social media.
USA Network's Mr. Robot series gave fans the chance to experience a virtual-reality prequel written and directed by show creator Sam Esmail. The 12-minute scripted piece, created with Chris Milk’s virtual-reality production company Here Be Dragons in partnership with Universal Cable Productions, provided viewers with one of the first extended narrative pieces of television content in the VR medium.
TBS and Snickers promoted Conan O'Brien's talk show Conan with a Satisfaction Station activation at the Petco Park Interactive Zone. Fans could dress up as fictional superheroes for a branded content video, and photos taken within the station could be used to create comic-book covers starring fans in costume.
The Women's Board of Lincoln Park Zoo's 39th annual Zoo Ball took place July 15 in Chicago. Inspired by the event's "Penguins in Paradise" theme, Jewell Events Catering provided dinner that included a goat cheese soufflé topped with a penguin-shaped cracker. The butter that accompanied the bread was also a penguin shape.
For an election-season party idea, online marketplace Minted lets customers upload any side-profile photo—including those for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump—to create a custom silhouette art print. The prints are available foil-pressed, letterpresses, or in standard printing in a variety of colors.
Tiny Pies in Austin, Texas, makes flag-inspired pies. The desserts are filled with cherries and blueberries and topped with a stars-and-stripes-patterned crust.
The inaugural Panorama music festival took place July 22 to 24 at Randall's Island in New York. The Goldenvoice-produced event had a tech-art theme, realized by a pop-up museum called the Lab. Digital art installations included an attendee-powered color wall from sponsor HP. Using the brand's technology, the wall changed colors in time for a selfie taken with a laptop. The activation was produced by Infinity Marketing Team.
American Express activated its Amex Experience tent—which was designed and constructed by Momentum Worldwide—during the festival. A popular low-tech experience for festivalgoers was a customizable sunglasses station.
Macy's partnered with LeadDog Marketing Group to produce the Macy's Oasis, which gave festivalgoers a chance to relax with lounge furniture and a charging station. Along with bandanas soaked in ice water, the lounge had a string-art wall created by attendees.
Century 21 Real Estate hosted a networking event for real estate agents and industry professionals June 23 at the Camarillo Airport in California's Ventura County. Instead of a traditional still photo booth, organizers brought in a system from A-1 Array that combined images from 13 cameras into an animated GIF.
Entertainment venue Topgolf opened its flagship location behind MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in May. The four-level, 105,000-square-foot venue features 108 climate-controlled hitting bays, two pools, a concert venue, V.I.P. suites, a retail shop, an atrium, five bars, and a games-focused space called the Yard. While any space within the venue can be used as an event space, Topgolf offers three traditional meeting rooms that each seat 40 or that can be combined to seat 120. The venue can accommodate as many as 3,000 people for events, and also offers customized food and drink menus and live-action cooking stations.
