January 28, 2016: Redford Considers Breaking Up Too-Crowded Sundance, New Report Blasts Ticketing Resale Market, Electronic Arts to Host Own Show During E3

1. REDFORD CONSIDERS BREAKING UP TOO-CROWDED SUNDANCE: As the indie movie mecca Sundance Film Festival closes another big year, founder Robert Redford said organizers will consider ways to manage its explosive growth, including breaking it up into separate events for narrative features, documentaries, and other films. Associated Press: “I’m starting to hear some negative comments about how crowded it is and how difficult it is to get from venue to venue when there’s traffic and people in the streets and so forth,” Redford said. “We’re going to have to look at that. … if you want to keep it going, we can’t keep it going the way things are.” http://pge.sx/1nnqL12

2. NEW REPORT BLASTS TICKETING RESALE MARKET: A report from New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman exposes abuses in the ticketing scalping industry for concerts, sports matches, and other entertainment events. The New York Times: “The report, titled ‘Why Can’t New Yorkers Get Tickets?’ is the result of a three-year investigation of the online ticketing market, and portrays a complex business in which technologically adept ticket brokers are able to profit at the expense of ordinary fans. … Much of the report focuses on bots, computer programs that help their users scoop up large numbers of seats, including the best ones, by eluding the security measures of sites like Ticketmaster. Using bots is illegal in New York, but the attorney general found — using data supplied by major ticketers, credit card companies and brokers, some of which were issued subpoenas — that they have been in widespread use.” http://nyti.ms/1PkTBda

3. ELECTRONIC ARTS TO HOST OWN SHOW DURING E3: Video game maker Electronic Arts will not exhibit at E3 this year, a blow to the trade show long known for splashy announcements for new games and systems. Fortune: “Instead, the company behind Madden NFL, Star Wars Battlefront, and The Sims plans to hold its own event, called EA Play, across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center (and in London) before and during the early days of E3. And that’s raising questions about whether other companies may follow suit in the years to come.” http://for.tn/1lWgwzP

* LOCAL NEWS *

ATLANTIC CITY:  Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa plans to invest more than $50 million in property development this year, which includes 25,000 square feet of meeting and convention space and Premiere Nightclub, an 18,000-square-foot venue set to launch this spring.

AUSTIN:  The fourth annual Austin Oyster Festival is slated for February 27 at the French Legation Museum. Featuring seafood and cocktail pairings, a raw bar, a V.I.P. lounge, and live music, the event benefits Helping Other People Everywhere.

BOSTON:  The Boston Wine Expo will take place February 13-14 at Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center.

CHICAGO:  Tickled Pink for Bright Pink, a benefit for the breast and ovarian cancer nonprofit Bright Pink, will take place February 19 at Morgan Manufacturing. Paramount Events principal Jodi Fyfe founded the event.

LAS VEGAS:  Martina McBride, Brett Eldredge, A Thousand Horses, and more will perform at the fourth annual ACM Party For A Cause Festival, slated for April 1-3 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

LOS ANGELES:  Red Hot Chili Peppers will play a fund-raising concert to benefit presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on February 5 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The eighth annual Artopia will take place February 18 at the Coral Gables Museum. The event, from Miami New Times, will have live performance art, musical entertainment, and samples of food and beverages.

NEW YORK:  Martha Stewart will make an appearance at Macy's Herald Square today for the launch of her 86th book, Martha Stewart Weddings: Ideas and Inspiration.

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  LakeHouse is a new restaurant at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. The 6,350-square-foot space has seating for 206 people and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

PARK CITY, UTAH:  The inaugural Thin Air Innovation Festival will take place April 6-8. The event—which has a theme of innovation in human performance—will feature interactive panels, networking opportunities, and an outdoor concert on Main Street headlined by Thievery Corporation. Under Armour C.E.O. and founder Kevin Plank will be the keynote speaker.

SAN FRANCISCO:  The Axiom Hotel opened on Tuesday. At the intersection of Union Square and Mid-Market, the hotel has 152 rooms and 1,000 square feet of meeting space.

TORONTO:  The Westbury National Imagine Technology Showcase and Networking Event will be held on March 9 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  An N.F.L. theme restaurant intended to be called “Redskins Grille” will change its name to Hail & Hog Kitchen and Tap. Washington Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1OQ8Pp4

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, 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: [email protected]

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]