January 18, 2016: MGM Resorts to Start Charging for Parking in Las Vegas, Coachella Tops List of Highest-Grossing Music Festivals, See London’s Innovative Light Show

Beth Kormanik
January 18, 2016


1. MGM RESORTS TO START CHARGING FOR PARKING IN LAS VEGAS: MGM Resorts International will begin charging for overnight parking at many of its Las Vegas properties including Bellagio, Aria, Mandalay Bay, and MGM Grand. Associated Press: “The move could bring in millions of dollars annually, and transform a tourism hot spot that increasingly caters to visitors who come for expensive attractions other than gambling. MGM Resorts, the largest hotel-casino operator in Las Vegas, said it would charge $10 or less for overnight self-parking at most of its properties on the Las Vegas Strip starting this spring. MGM Resorts has 35,310 hotel rooms and 37,000 parking spots on the Strip, which are at a premium during major events.” http://nyti.ms/1OrRqmA

2. COACHELLA TOPS LIST OF HIGHEST-GROSSING MUSIC FESTIVALS: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival raked in more than $84 million in ticket sales, making it the top-grossing music festival of 2015. Forbes: “With an exciting lineup prepared for 2016 and a brand that simply cannot be beat, there is no reason to believe that Coachella won’t also come out on top of this ranking the next time around. The remaining festivals all pale in their receipts, with the second place name, San Francisco’s Outside Lands, collecting less than a third of Coachella’s gross revenue. Though a plenty of international events made it onto the list, it is clear that the United States is the land of the music festival, as American shows control the top four slots (though only those four).” http://onforb.es/1PgCLIe

3. SEE LONDON’S INNOVATIVE LIGHT SHOW: More than 30 locations throughout London, from Westminster Abbey to Leicester Square and beyond, took on arresting new looks thanks to the light show Lumiere London. Mashable: “Local and international artists descended upon London, bringing 3D projections, interactive installations and other extraordinary light works to the city.” http://on.mash.to/1QhUGU1

* LOCAL NEWS *

ATLANTA:  The 78th annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival will take place April 10-12 in Piedmont Park. The festival features a juried art competition and the U.S. Disc Dog Southern Nationals competition for Frisbee dogs.

AUSTIN:  Silent disco company Quiet Clubbing will have its Austin launch party on February 27 at the North Door. AustinInno: http://bit.ly/1OvSuDG

BOSTON:  In New England, small weddings are a trend. Boston Globe: bit.ly/1SmV453

CHICAGO:  Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort has completed the first phase of a massive renovation. The second phase of the renovation will wrap this spring.

Firecakes Donuts opened a new location Sunday on Clark Street in Lincoln Park. The store will give the first 100 customers a free donut each day through Tuesday.

HOUSTON:  The inaugural SpaceCom, which took place November 17-19 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, attracted attendees from 37 states and 23 countries, more than 50 media representatives from around the world, and more than 100 exhibitors.

LAS VEGAS:  iHeartMedia has announced the return of the iHeartRadio Music Festival September 23-24, along with the Daytime Village, which will come to the Las Vegas Village across from Luxor Hotel and Casino September 24. The first announced artists to perform at the Daytime Village are Sam Hunt and Alessia Cara.

LOS ANGELES:  The 2016 Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon will take place February 14, starting at Dodger Stadium and finishing at the intersection of Ocean and California avenues.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The second annual Taste of Tennis Miami will take place March 21 at W South Beach. AYS produces the event, which takes place prior to the Miami Open tournament.

NEW YORK:  The New York Times Travel Show, which took place January 8-10 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, had its highest attendance in nine years with 29,050 attendees and was the second-most attended ever.

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  A 39,000-square-foot boutique hotel and restaurant is slated to be built across from Orlando Regional Medical Center. Orlando Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1n6W7JN

PHILADELPHIA:  Fish Technologies has announced it will introduce "eKey," a mobile consumer engagement platform, at the Philadelphia Auto Show, which takes place January 31-February 8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

PHOENIX:  The fourth annual Run the Runway event will take place April 2 at Scottsdale Airport. The event, which benefits Playworks Arizona, offers a 5K, 10K, and kids' one-mile dash.

SAN FRANCISCO:  The San Francisco Tribal & Textiles Art Show will take place February 18-21 at Fort Mason Center. The show features textiles, masks, sculptures, and jewelry from more than 100 galleries around the world.

Black Bark BBQ is now open in the Fillmore District. The eatery offers platters that serve six people; menu items include pulled pork and sweet-potato-pecan casserole.

TORONTO:  MacLaren McCann Canada has appointed Matt Lewis to the position of managing director of MacLaren Momentum.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Ice Yards, a winter-theme festival at the Yards DC park, will take place Saturday. The event will have ice bars and cocktails, a frosty beer garden by Due South, boozy snow cones, indoor snowfall, outdoor fire pits, live music, ice shuffleboard and corn hole, and more.

OnPoint Communications has hired Phoebe Sweet as a vice president.

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: tips@bizbash.com. 

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Anna Sekula, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

Feed the Sheet: tips@bizbash.com

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: d_wilkes@bizbash.com

 
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