September 15, 2016: A.C.C. Pulls Championship Game From North Carolina, Social Media Took Over New York Fashion Week, How Life Is Beautiful and Las Vegas Have Grown in Four Years

1. A.C.C. PULLS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FROM NORTH CAROLINA: The Atlantic Coast Conference has announced it will pull all neutral-site championships from North Carolina this academic year, just two days after the N.C.A.A. moved seven games from the state because of its anti-L.G.B.T. laws. The championships include the A.C.C. football championship in December and the women’s basketball tournament in March. The New York Times: “The A.C.C.’s action was not only another blow to the state, but one sure to hit home in every sense: Four of the conference’s 15 members are in the state, and the conference has its headquarters in Greensboro. … The conference, which said it would announce future sites, has just a few weeks to relocate its first affected championship, for women’s soccer, which had been scheduled to take place in Cary beginning Oct. 30, and less than three months to find a new venue for its marquee event, the football championship game, scheduled for Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Dec. 3. Six other championships featuring sports like men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s golf and baseball are scheduled to be held at in-state venues. The men’s A.C.C. basketball tournament, frequently held in the state, was already set to be staged at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Some championships hosted by specific universities will not be affected, like the men’s and women’s cross-country championships at North Carolina State. Beyond those championships and regular-season A.C.C. games, the other major college sports event set to take place in the state is the Belk Bowl, which will pit an A.C.C. football team against one from the Southeastern Conference on Dec. 29 in Charlotte. The Charlotte Sports Foundation, which hosts the Belk Bowl and the A.C.C. football championship, said in a statement Wednesday that it was “disappointed” that the football title game was moving, adding, “We recognize the economic impact moving the game and its events have on the Charlotte area.” http://nyti.ms/2cxTtXT

2. SOCIAL MEDIA TOOK OVER NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: Every year, social media platforms including Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter seem to play a more integral role in creating buzz for New York Fashion Week. The latest edition of the event, which ends today, has seen more brands than ever before use outlets and influencers to capture the attention of social media users. The Wall Street Journal: "Rather than play favorites among different networks, many influencers and brands flood the zone. They have detailed social-media strategies and digital teams firing on all devices. Their audience is demanding, with zero tolerance for blurry Instagrams or boring Snaps. Many people follow a personality or brand across multiple channels and prefer not to see the same picture twice. 'It almost feels like a race, getting it all done, taking it all in,' says Chloe King, public relations and social media manager at Bergdorf Goodman, the luxury department store owned by Neiman Marcus Group. Bergdorfs has a sizable digital footprint, with more than one million followers on Instagram. Before the shows, Ms. King worked with the designers Bergdorfs carries to find unique angles that often tie back to the store. Instead of posting a picture of the clothes on Instagram after the Victoria Beckham show on Sunday, Bergdorfs posted a shot of a model’s dramatic blue eye shadow, a plug for the designer’s new collaboration with Estée Lauder; it posted runway shots elsewhere. One of the week’s biggest spectacles, #TommyNow, the combined runway show-carnival Friday night from designer Tommy Hilfiger, was the source of glamorous imagery that will live on social media for weeks. It deluged watchers with ways to shop the in-season clothes and capsule collection with model Gigi Hadid. Watchers of the livestreamed event on Tommy Hilfiger’s website could opt to 'Save Look' to a wish list, then click through to buy the pieces; the brand’s Facebook page has a prominent 'Shop Now' button. A link in the brand’s Instagram profile page took shoppers to a website that looked just like its Instagram feed, with an added gallery of product pages below the pictures." http://on.wsj.com/2cf7lt1

3. HOW LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL AND LAS VEGAS HAVE GROWN IN FOUR YEARS: Life Is Beautiful, which returns to Las Vegas September 23-25, shouldn't have worked on paper in a city that wasn't known for hosting successful music festivals. But in its fourth year, the event continues to grow in attendance and in turn, it creates a positive economic impact for Las Vegas. According to a report from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the festival drew $35 million last year. Forbes: "Like most music festivals in 2016 Life Is Beautiful is about much more than music, offering an art exhibition, which this year will feature works by Brandon Boyd, Shepherd Fairey and more, the 'Ideas' lecture series, gourmet food and drink and a stand-up comedy stage. As festivals like Coachella and Austin City Limits have expanded to two weekends and Lollapalooza has grown from three to four days, Life Is Beautiful sees potential growth coming from the areas outside of music. Life Is Beautiful is a three-day long festival, but the organizers have ambitious plans for the future. 'We think it’s an opportunity to create a much bigger platform so that is what are we doing with the learning series and that content that’s created,' Justin Weniger, Chief Executive Officer, says. 'We see that potentially becoming its own division or standalone pillar, that could be its own touring show at some point. We want to create more of a South By Southwest model or things on either side of that three-day weekend that bring people together with common interests and then have that weekend be a celebration of that.' Ultimately though, as with any music festival, people are paying $285 for 3-day GA or $655 for 3-day VIP, based on the strength of the lineup. This year’s bill includes Mumford & Sons, J Cole, Lumineers, Jane’s Addiction, Major Lazer and the Shins." http://bit.ly/2cuDjAi

* LOCAL NEWS *

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO:  The National Institute of Flamenco has partnered with Heritage Hotels & Resorts to open Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque, an intimate performance space at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. The venue will serve authentic Sevillian tapas, house-made sangria, and custom cocktails. The nonprofit National Institute of Flamenco will receive 60 percent of the venue's proceeds.

BOSTON:  Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's Circus Xtreme will take place at TD Garden October 13-16.

CHICAGO:  Hotel Zachary, owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is a 175-room hotel that is expected to open in 2018 in the Lakeview neighborhood, on the corner of Clark and Addison streets. Hickory Street Capital is developing the 238,000-square-foot property, which will be a mixed-used building that will include retailers and restaurants.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts has added to its portfolio the BW Premier Collection Pere Marquette Lodge & Conference Center in Grafton. The 72-room property has more than 3,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

DALLAS/FORT WORTH:  Experiential marketing firm Skyline Sector 5 celebrated its 15th anniversary on September 4.

LAS VEGAS:  Painting at the Park will take place September 28 in front of New York-New York at the Park. The event will have guests paint works based on a specific theme and will feature live music.

LOS ANGELES:  The Red Hot Chili Peppers will kick off the Rams' inaugural season back in the city with a performance before the home opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.

James Corden will host the 20th annual Hollywood Film Awards, which will take place November 6 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Visit West Hollywood has appointed Tom Kiely as chief executive officer.

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

MAUI, HAWAII:  Marriott International, in partnership with R.D. Olson Development, has opened Hawaii's first Residence Inn by Marriott Maui Wailea. The four-floor, 200-suite property has 1,800 square feet of indoor function space and a lawn for outdoor special events.

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Alpine Jaguar 10th Annual Men of Style Shopping Night, presented by Signature Grand, will take place December 1 at the Galleria in Fort Lauderdale.

The Lantern Light Festival, a celebration of Chinese culture, will be at the Miami-Dade County Fair Expo Center from November 30-January 8, 2017. The festival has massive lanterns, performances, cuisine, live music, miniature golf, fireworks, and family activities. Attendees will experience a kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, and themes in the run–up to the Christmas period and beyond. The festival will move to Memphis in the spring of 2017.

Justin Bieber will headline Fontainebleau Miami Beach's New Year's Eve party.

NEW ORLEANS:  Intercontinental New Orleans has named Melanie Walent director of sales. She was previously director of sales, marketing, and events at Hyatt Regency Boston.

NEW YORK:  The Great Big Bacon Picnic will take place September 24-25 at the Old Pfizer Factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The indoor-outdoor festival will have unlimited bacon and beverages from more than 100 area chefs, brew masters, and craft distillers.

Arenson Props and Rentals has named Christine Murray as an account executive.

Hawkins International PR—which specializes in travel, lifestyle, hospitality, and spa/wellness—has named Corey Finjer Bennett C.O.O. and Melissa Murphy director of digital marketing.

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Vancouver-based Earls Kitchen & Bar will open Wednesday at Mall at Millenia. The restaurant will seat 300 people, including a semiprivate dining room for 30 people. There will also be a large lounge with a circular bar.

TORONTO:  Toronto Oktoberfest will take place September 30-October 1 at Ontario Place. The event will feature festival tents and the outdoor Bavarian Village.

SAN FRANCISCO:  WoodSpring Hotels has signed a deal with West77 Partners to develop as many as 25 hotels throughout the greater San Francisco area.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Event marketing software company Event Farm has acquired Boston-based event software company Attend. 

American University has received the Airlie Center in Warrantor, Virginia, as a gift from the Airlie Board of Directors. The property includes the historic Airlie House, and a village of guest rooms and meeting facilities set on more than 300 acres with pastoral, lake, and wildlife views.

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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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