February 10, 2017: Grammys to Return to Los Angeles After 2018 New York Ceremony, Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd Appointed White House Social Secretary, Bob Costas Steps Down as NBC’s Primetime Olympics Host

1. GRAMMYS TO RETURN TO LOS ANGELES AFTER 2018 NEW YORK CEREMONY: While it was recently revealed that the 60th anniversary of the Grammys in 2018 will take place at New York's Madison Square Garden, the awards are slated to return to the Los Angeles Staples Center as part of a multi-year extension to the venue's agreement. Billboard: "After all, the Grammys have developed a cozy relationship with their Los Angeles base, particularly the awards-show-friendly Staples Center. While the ceremony ­essentially traded off between L.A. and New York for its first three decades, that ended in the late 1990s after a very public spat between then-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and then-Recording Academy chief Michael Greene, which spiraled into threats and insults after Greene refused to allow Hizzoner to read the list of nominees at a news ­conference promoting the awards show. But by 2014, New York wanted them back. The Grammys bring an estimated $82 million bump to its host city's economy, according to a report from the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board; the mayor's office says the total could be as much as $200 million in ancillary ­spending. That summer, Tisch ­introduced Glen to Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow. The Grammys' agreement with Staples was up for renewal in 2017, and native New Yorker Portnow was interested. … The calculus changed at the start of 2016, when Julie Menin, a longtime civic activist who worked to revitalize Lower Manhattan in the years after 9/11, was named to head the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment; just as she was appointed, her ­department's purview grew from film and TV to include a number of other creative industries, especially music. In February, Menin flew to L.A. to meet with The Recording Academy. According to sources familiar with the negotiation, the academy balked, mostly because a show in New York would require an additional $6.5 million in costs due to increased production, labor and venue expenses." http://bit.ly/2k8Eh77

2. ANNA CRISTINA NICETA LLOYD APPOINTED WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY: Melania Trump has chosen event planner Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd for the position of White House Social Secretary. Washington Post: "Niceta Lloyd, known as “Rickie,” is a veteran event planner who has two decades of experience, including working with the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for the last five inaugurations—for both Democratic and Republican administrations. According to the White House, she worked with the State Department’s Office of Protocol in 'executing numerous state luncheons, summits and conferences.' Most of that work was apparently done in her role as an account executive at Arlington catering company Design Cuisine. … Those familiar with the hiring process said Melania Trump had sought a veteran hand to help execute the high-visibility events a social secretary typically plans. Those include everything from delicate diplomatic affairs, like state dinners, to cultural programs to boisterous Easter egg rolls on the White House lawn. The job is more substantive than mere party planner: Each event helps communicate the president and first lady’s agenda to the world." http://wapo.st/2krbufb

3. BOB COSTAS STEPS DOWN AS NBC’S PRIMETIME OLYMPICS HOST: Bob Costas has ended his 24-year run as host of NBC’s primetime Olympics coverage. Costas will be replaced by newcomer Mike Tirico for the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, next year. The New York Times: “‘It just felt to me like the right time and it’s felt like the right time for a while,’ Mr. Costas said in an interview this week, in advance of NBC’s scheduled announcement on ‘Today’ on Thursday. ‘This was a good time to step away, while I could still do it,’ he said. Mr. Tirico worked at ESPN for 25 years, and his versatility as a host and play-by-play announcer made him a leading contender to succeed Mr. Costas as soon as NBC hired him. He was a daytime host during the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro last year. He has also called National Football League and Notre Dame games and has hosted the British Open golf championship. Mr. Costas’s long run as the prime-time host calls to mind that of Jim McKay, who covered or hosted 10 Olympics for ABC Sports. That Mr. Costas held the job for so long reflected NBC’s commitment to making the Olympics the centerpiece of its sports portfolio and to holding onto highly rated programming that appealed to a broad demographic, especially women. The network has spent billions of dollars to carry every Summer Games since 1988 and every Winter Games since 2002. NBCUniversal, the network’s parent company, has the rights to carry every Olympics until 2032.” http://nyti.ms/2ktKEmB

* LOCAL NEWS *

CHICAGO:  Resort company Paradisus will host Paradisus Warm Front, a two-day pop-up, February 23-24 at 401 North Michigan Avenue. 

This year's C2E2: Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo will take place April 21-23 at McCormick Place.

LOS ANGELES:  Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport has debuted its new 10,000-square-foot Hyatt Regency Conference Center. The flexible meeting space features full- and half-day Certified Meeting Professional pricing, all-day dining from chef Charles Fusco, and shuttle service from all airport terminals. 

The Environmental Media Association will host Impact, its first investment and innovation summit, at the Montage in Beverly Hills on March 23-24.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Miami Marlins FanFest, presented by Papa John's, will take place Saturday and Sunday. 

NEW YORK:  Fundraising Day in New York 2017 will take place June 23 at Marriott Marquis. David Miliband, president and C.E.O. of the International Rescue Committee, will be the keynote speaker.

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

SAN FRANCISCO:  The 14th annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place March 9-12 at the Cowell Theater. The event features independent films with ocean-related themes.

TORONTO:  The 38th annual Rhubarb Festival, which features experimental performances in theatre, music, dance, and performance art, runs February 15-26 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. The event is sponsored by TD Bank.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Pearl Street Warehouse, a live music venue dedicated to "Americana" genres, is slated to open in the Wharf. Washingtonian: http://bit.ly/2lsQX9Q

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

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