November 19, 2014: New Cable Channel to Air Music Festival Coverage, What the Bill Cosby Allegations Mean for Events, British Company to Buy Trade Show Operator Hanley Wood Exhibitions

1. NEW CABLE CHANNEL TO AIR MUSIC FESTIVAL COVERAGE: Live events are proving to be valuable as television content. Content from AEG’s music festivals such as Coachella and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will air on AXS TV, the cable channel that it co-owns. The New York Times: “Mercury Insurance will sponsor the broadcasts, as well as a series of four half-hour documentaries about the festivals, starting in March. AXS TV is also negotiating with festivals in which A.E.G. has no ownership stake. … The AXS TV deal for its festivals comes as more concert companies are looking to promote video of their live events. In July, for example, Live Nation began a yearlong partnership with Yahoo to stream a concert online each day.” http://nyti.ms/11BNMD7

2. WHAT THE BILL COSBY ALLEGATIONS MEAN FOR EVENTS: Actor and comedian Bill Cosby has been a reliably popular commencement speaker and performer at events, but amid allegations of sexual assaults against women dating from the 1970s and 1980s, media brands and others are distancing themselves from him. Entertainment Weekly: “Netflix has ‘postponed’ the launch of a Bill Cosby stand-up special. … Cosby still has another pending entertainment project in the works: A sitcom at NBC, which has been in development since January. NBC has recently said the project remains in active development, but pressure has been mounting against the broadcaster to cancel its plans. Variety took a poll and found 72 percent surveyed said NBC should cut ties with Cosby over the allegations.” http://bit.ly/11sQjhV

3. BRITISH COMPANY TO BUY TRADE SHOW OPERATOR HANLEY WOOD EXHIBITIONS: Reuters: “British business media group Informa Plc said on Tuesday it would buy U.S. trade show operator Hanley Wood Exhibitions for 237 million pounds ($371 million), and planned to raise 275 million pounds through a share placement. … The deal will add 17 construction and real estate trade shows to its business, the company said.” http://reut.rs/11sP2Yr


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

In a survey conducted by the Foundation of NACE, more than 60 percent of catering and event professionals reported that they were hiring new staff and were optimistic about hiring trends in 2015.

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  The city of Gloucester recently broke ground on its first business-class hotel, the Beauport. When complete, the venue will offer conference facilities, a bridal suite, a rooftop pool, and a waterfront bar. It will have 96 guest rooms.

CHICAGO:  The Park Hyatt Hotel is hosting a pop-up “Sugar & Spice” boutique in its lobby through December 24. The boutique will sell pastries from NoMi chef Meg Galus, as well as gift cards and wines.

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research announced next year’s CEIR Predict conference will be held September 16-17 in Chicago.

InterContinental Chicago Hotel will light its tree at a festive ceremony this morning. Held at 11 a.m., the event will include a sneak peek at chef Randy Reed’s gingerbread village, as well as a performance from the Goodman Theatre. Chicago Canine Rescue will bring dogs for adoption.

The Chicago Food Film Festival runs today through November 22 at Kendall College. The event pairs films with snacks inspired by what’s on screen. Tonight’s opening-night party, for example, pairs chicken wings, burgers, and milkshakes with a screening of The Great Chicken Wing Hunt.

LAS VEGAS:  Steve Wynn’s ShowStoppers will bring a cast of 34 singers and dancers, plus a 30-piece orchestra, to the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas with a December 16 debut.

Gordon Ramsay is slated to open his newest venue, Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips, at the Linq Promenade in the spring. The takeaway-style British restaurant will offer fish and chips and other types of traditional British comfort food.

LOS ANGELES:  The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles will celebrate its annual Wishing Well Winter Gala on December 3 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

Bill Hoffman, executive director and C.E.O. of the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors and Convention Bureau for the past 16 years, is retiring. Hoffman will be replaced by Andy Chapman, who currently serves as chief marketing officer of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association.

Love & Salt is slated to open in Manhattan Beach on November 25.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Honey, a new nightlife concept, opened on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. It holds 400 guests for private events.

NEW YORK:  SantaCon, the holiday bar crawl that last year brought more than 30,000 people to the East Village and the Lower East Side, could be moving to Brooklyn this year. DNAinfo: "Organizers sent one local bar owner, who asked not to be identified, a letter on Sunday saying that the crawl—which usually doesn't announce its route until the day before the event—would be arriving in Bushwick this year. The event will take place on Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in 'Bushwick/Jefftown,' according to an email to a bar owner obtained by DNAinfo New York." http://dnain.fo/1yNhCOZ

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

ORLANDO:  Two huge new thrill rides are coming to International Drive in the next few years. StarFlyer will be a 420-foot-tall spinning ride that is expected to open in about 18 months. Skyscraper will be the world's tallest roller coaster, at more than 500 feet, when it opens in 2017. It will be part of the Skyplex complex that will also include arcades, simulators, rock climbing, restaurants, bars, and retail. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/1t9AEuA

TORONTO:  Midnight Snack Company will host a launch party on Wednesday. Helmed by pastry chef Mary Wood, the catering operation will focus on late-night snacks and sweets tables.

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 in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Anna Sekula in New York.

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

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