August 23, 2016: Oscars Consider 12 New Tech Awards Categories, Rio Seems Unprepared for Paralympic Games, Sports Media Company Lands Partnership With M.L.B. Company to Live Stream College Sporting Events

1. OSCARS CONSIDER 12 NEW TECH AWARDS CATEGORIES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering 12 new categories for its Oscars Sci-Tech Awards, a presentation that takes place before the Oscars next year. The Hollywood Reporter: “The AMPAS on Monday announced that its Scientific and Technical Awards Committee is investigating 12 areas, including high-resolution digital motion picture cameras with sensors sized Super 35 or larger — meaning high-end cameras from companies such as Arri, Red and Sony. To date, no digital cinematography camera has been recognized with a SciTech Award. These investigations are made public so individuals and companies with devices or claims of innovation within these areas will have the opportunity to submit achievements for review. That deadline to submit additional entries is Aug. 30. Other areas of investigation include advancements in motion control software; wireless microphone technology; computer-printed, seamless scenic backdrops; and camera flange depth measurement devices. … The committee will meet in early December to vote on recommendations to the Academy’s Board of Governors, which will make the final awards decisions. The Scientific and Technical Awards presentation will be held on Feb. 11.” http://bit.ly/2bJmr7N

2. RIO SEEMS UNPREPARED FOR PARALYMPIC GAMES: The Summer Olympics have come to a close, but the Paralympic Games will begin next month in Rio de Janeiro. While the Paralympics in London were a huge success, the outlook of the Rio Games seems grim thanks to low ticket sales and budget cuts. Quartz: "Only 12% of available tickets for next month’s Paralympics in Rio have been sold—that is a total of 300,000. The Paralympics start on Sept. 7. As a result, the Paralympic Games are facing major budget cuts, which will affect the venues, workforce, and transport. Organizers were two weeks late in paying €8 million ($9 million) in travel grants, which was meant to support competing athletes and officials. Even with the delayed grants now to be paid to athletes, around 10 teams are still struggling to get to Rio. 'Never before in the 56-year history of the Paralympic Games have we faced circumstances like this,' the IPC president Philip Craven said in a statement. 'At this point it is difficult for us to expect the full venues that we saw in Beijing or London, or expect to see in Tokyo in four years’ time.' Rio is using almost $50 million in public money to try to bridge the funding gap. This has led some athletes to accuse Rio authorities of discrimination. 'It does feel like they’re being treated like second-class citizens,' the 11-times Paralympic gold medalist Tanni Grey-Thompson told ITV News. So much so that one senior member of the Olympics hierarchy has suggested that the International Olympic Committee should bail out its disabled-sport counterpart." http://bit.ly/2bzEv6T

3. SPORTS MEDIA COMPANY LANDS PARTNERSHIP WITH M.L.B. COMPANY TO LIVE STREAM COLLEGE SPORTING EVENTS: Sports media company Silver Chalice Ventures has partnered with M.L.B. Advanced Media’s BamTech company to live stream around 3,000 collegiate sporting events. Forbes: “The deal adds yet another content partner and investor in BAMTech. The $1 billion investment deal that will eventually grow to majority ownership with Disney will initially see ESPN streaming services, while BAMTech’s purchase of digital media rights and partnership with the National Hockey League brings hockey. With the SCV partnership, BAMTech now makes its initial grab into the collegiate sports space by providing the technology infrastructure. As part of the agreement, BAMTech also acquired an equity position in SCV, an affiliate of the Jerry Reinsdorf-owned Chicago White Sox, marking the first outside investment SCV has taken since launching the ACC Digital Network, Campus Insiders and 120 Sports. … While BAMTech continues to grow in the technology space, Silver Chalice has already been active in distribution agreements. The partners for  live game and video-on-demand offerings includes Verizon’s go90, Sling TV, Twitter, MSN.com, Yahoo, YouTube and USA Today Sports, among others. BAMTech was spun off of MLB Advanced Media, the digital media company of Major League Baseball. The 30 owners in MLB are currently the majority owners in BAMTech.” http://bit.ly/2bCulCN


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

The International Live Events Association's announced its 2016 ILEA Espirit Awards recipients at a ceremony on August 13 during ILEA Live at the J.W. Marriott Austin. Awards were distributed in categories including best catered event, best event photography, and best industry innovation. A full list of winners can be found here: http://bit.ly/2bxGJm7

* LOCAL NEWS *

COAST TO COAST:  Global restaurateur HMSHost has acquired the airport restaurant assets of Concession Management Services. HMSHost will transition restaurant operations at 16 restaurants at the Los Angeles International Airport and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

ATLANTA:  AC Hotel by Marriott Buckhead has opened at Phipps Plaza. The 166-room venue has 2,500 square feet of meeting space, self-serve European breakfasts in the AC Kitchen, and an AC Lounge tapas bar.

AUSTIN:  WoodSpring Suites Signature will open new hotels in Buda and Georgetown, on dates to be announced. MVK Hospitality will manage the new hotels.

BOSTON:  Brand experience agency Cramer has appointed Debi Kleiman as a member of its board of directors.

CALGARY, ALBERTA:  Candlewood Suites Calgary Airport North is now open. The 104-room hotel is the second Candlewood Suites hotel in Canada.

CHICAGO:  The National Marine Manufacturers Association, which produces boat and sport shows in North America, held its first "Shows Ideas Summit" August 16-17 at Summit West.

DENVER:  Summit Hotel Properties has completed the acquisition of the 157-guestroom Boulder Marriott in Boulder for $61.4 million. Stonebridge Realty Advisors will manage the hotel.

LAS VEGAS:  Iron Skillet, a casual American restaurant at Petro Sparks in Sparks, Nevada, has reopened. The eatery has a new western-themed dining experience with a retooled menu that includes steaks hand-cut on site and cooked over a mesquite-wood fire.

On August 20, UFC fighters Julianna Peña and Uriah Hall hosted a fight night after-party at Hyde Bellagio in Las Vegas alongside MMA ring girls Brittney Palmer, Chrissy Blair, and Vanessa Hanson.

LOS ANGELES:  The second annual Comedy Comedy Festival, which celebrates Asian-American comedians, takes place Thursday through Sunday at the Aratani Theatre and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.

Tail O’ the Pup will host a press preview for its relaunch at Opening Ceremony on August 25. The relaunch includes a new food truck from the Los Angeles institution. 

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Tiki Bar, which closed in September 2015 for renovations, has reopened at the same location at Holiday Isle's Postcard Inn in Islamorada. The revamped venue has new lighting, a new sound system, and a redesigned back bar.

Bar Primi, a New York pasta bar from chef Andrew Carmellini, will be a pop-up at the Dutch Miami throughout the month of September.

NEW YORK:  To celebrate the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards, Branding By Air and Remarkable Media will fly the world's largest flying digital video screen along the Hudson River on Wednesday in an effort to make the Guinness Book of World Records. The 250-foot screen will announce a performance that will take place at the awards ceremony, which take place Sunday at Madison Square Garden. The announcement event will be based at Hotel Hugo.

Women's Health magazine and Feed's fifth annual Run 10 Feed 10 5K and 10K race will take place September 18 along West Side Highway. Proceeds from the event, which is hosted by Good Morning America meteorologist Ginger Zee, will go to New York metropolitan area shelters and food banks.

Conrad New York has appointed Gerron Douglas as executive chef. Douglas will oversee dining operations of the hotel's restaurants and bars, including Atrio Wine Bar & Restaurant and Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar.

Union Cantina—a Mexican restaurant from Southampton Social Club owners Ian Duke and David Hilty—has opened in Southampton's Bowden Square. Executive chef Scott Kampf is overseeing the menu at the eatery, which seats 200 in the main dining area and 35 on a patio.

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  7D Dark Ride Adventure is a new attraction at I-Drive 360. Located inside the main terminal building, the experience has seating for eight and includes a 3-D movie with lights, sound, wind, and an interactive game.

Legoland Florida Resort will open a new land called Lego Ninjago World in early 2017.

SALT LAKE CITY:  The Noah Corporation has launched Emzara Events, a website similar to Airbnb that connects people planning weddings and events to privately owned properties for rent around the world.

SAN FRANCISCO:  Courtyard San Francisco Downtown has named Amy Arbuckle general manager. She is overseeing the hotel's extensive renovations, which include the meeting rooms that are getting new carpeting, wall vinyl, window coverings, and permanently mounted LCD projectors. Redesigns to the guest rooms will begin in December.

TORONTO:  Canada's Walk of Fame will announce its 2016 inductees at a press conference today at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Toronto Men's Fashion Week organizers have announced that it will launch Toronto Women's Fashion Week in February 2017. Mississauga: http://bit.ly/2bcsZiD

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Passenger bar, which closed in 2014, has reopened in the Shaw neighborhood.

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 Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Carla Hay, Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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