1. L.A.’s MICROSOFT THEATER TO REMAIN EMMYS VENUE THROUGH 2022: The Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles will host the Emmy Awards at least through 2022. The Television Academy and AEG extended their partnership to keep the award show at the 7,100-seat theater, located at the L.A. Live event venue. This year’s Primetime Emmys take place September 22. Los Angeles Times: “The new agreement is a coup for AEG, the Los Angeles sports and live entertainment giant, as it faces an increasingly crowded field of venues vying for marquee events. Last year, the Banc of California Stadium opened near USC, close to downtown Los Angeles. The Forum in Inglewood, which is owned by rival Madison Square Garden Co., has long been a go-to spot for concerts. Also in Inglewood, the Los Angeles Rams are building a $5-billion stadium, which will serve as the jewel of a sprawling entertainment complex that is scheduled to include a concert hall. And the Dolby Theatre, with a trendy Hollywood address, is home to the Oscars and, increasingly, Broadway shows.”
2. NEW JERSEY’S MASSIVE AMERICAN DREAM COMPLEX SET FOR OCTOBER OPENING: Following years of delays and a change in ownership, New Jersey’s massive American Dream retail and entertainment complex is slated to open in October. Triple Five Group owns the complex, which is located just outside of New York and is expected to draw 40 million visitors per year. The opening has raised severe traffic concerns, as the complex is located near highways that are constantly congested. There are no plans to link the site to public transit beyond extra buses. Bloomberg: “The complex’s 3 million square feet (279,000 square meters) are 45 percent retail and 55 percent entertainment, including what Triple Five calls the Western Hemisphere’s biggest indoor theme park, North America’s only indoor snow skiing, and a DreamWorks water park. Among the tenants are Saks Fifth Avenue, Hermes, Century 21, a kosher food market and a 20-restaurant dining terrace. While the opening coincides with a dire retail outlook—fewer than half of U.S. malls are expected to survive ongoing store closings, according to Bloomberg Intelligence—American Dream says it can beat the odds because of its attractions mix and accessibility to New York City, on pace to draw 67 million tourists this year.”
3. SWEDEN TO HOST AVICII TRIBUTE CONCERT SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS: A tribute concert for the late DJ and musician Avicii, who died in 2018 in an apparent suicide, will take place December 5 in his hometown of Stockholm, Sweden. Singers featured on Avicii’s songs including Adam Lambert and Rita Ora will perform, as well as fellow DJs such as David Guetta and Kygo. The Tim Bergling Foundation, the foundation featuring Avicii’s real name, will produce Avicii Tribute Concert for Mental Health Awareness, which will raise funds for organizations that address mental health needs and suicide prevention. Variety: "‘Tim had plans for his music to be performed together with a large live band, and now we are realizing his dream and giving fans a chance to experience his music in this unique way,’ says Klas Bergling, Tim’s father. The concert will mark the first time that many of these songs have been performed live, and also the first time that many of the singers and collaborators whose performances and productions made his music so special gathered together in one place to perform his music.”