February 18, 2014: Inside New Orleans’s "Party of the Year," Madison Square Garden Named Top U.S. Arena, Conan Takes Show to Dallas

1. INSIDE NEW ORLEANS’S "PARTY OF THE YEAR": With instructions to create the “party of the year” in New Orleans, New York-based Bronson van Wyck turned a concrete box into a “multi-room manor house” for the owners' party at the N.B.A. All-Star game. New Orleans Times-Picayune: “Van Wyck strolled the space, pointing out details: the 19th-century tapestries he found at New Orleans Auction Galleries, the Greek statuary shipped in from his warehouse, the small forest of palms, citrus trees and bromeliads populating the ‘conservatory,’ the leather Chesterfield sofas arranged in conversation groups.” http://bit.ly/1gdOKX0

2. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN NAMED TOP U.S. ARENA: After briefly ceding its title to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden once again is the nation’s busiest arena by ticket sales. The Garden had lost steam as it underwent a $1 billion renovation but now is going strong with both sports and non-sports events. New York Post: “One arena expert said despite the fallout, Barclays’ team is doing a good job—but that if they thought they would knock off the Garden in one year, they may have been expecting too much too soon.” http://bit.ly/1gQDemh

3. CONAN TAKES SHOW TO DALLAS: For the second straight year, Conan O’Brien is relocating his nightly talk show during the N.C.A.A. men’s Final Four and basketball games. This time, his TBS show is headed to Dallas and will broadcast from the Majestic Theater March 31-April 3. Hollywood Reporter: “The news also marks the show's fourth consecutive year it has hit the road since its 2010 debut, traveling to cities like New York City and Chicago.” http://bit.ly/1fdfMjp

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  The International Special Events Society's New England chapter will host its meeting at Legal Harborside this afternoon. The meeting will feature Roger Berkowitz, president and C.E.O. of Legal Harborside, in a discussion about building a brand.

CHICAGO:  The Music Institute of Chicago will host its annual gala at the Four Seasons on May 12. The evening will include cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, dinner, and an award ceremony.

LAS VEGAS:  Friends of the Shade Tree will host its 12th annual “Girls Night Out” charity gala May 21 at Hyde Bellagio. The evening, hosted by Fox 5 anchor Jason Feinberg, will include a live and silent auction and beverages from Southern Wine & Spirits.

LOS ANGELES:  New live music venues such as Theatre at Ace and Regent Theatre are reinvigorating the downtown scene with "well-curated bills in historic, bespoke settings." Los Angeles Times: http://lat.ms/1nI1AQd

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Koncept Events has been named the exclusive DMC partner for Eden Roc South Beach hotel.

Luxurious Events is hosting the Luxury Wedding Experience bridal show at Deering Estate on February 25.

NEW YORK:  On February 24, the New York Botanical Garden will hold its annual Orchid Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental. Each table will have a centerpiece and table setting created and donated by a different designer.

The Doe Fund's third annual Sweet: NY, a tasting and culinary event, is March 13 at the Bowery Hotel. The fund-raiser will celebrate the culinary industry's role in providing opportunity for homeless New Yorkers.

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

TORONTO:  The 15th annual Canadian Opera Company Fine Wine Auction is April 24 at Design Exchange.

WASHINGTON:  The American Made Show, formerly known as the Buyers Market of American Craft, is relocating indefinitely to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The trade show, presented by Buyers Market, will take place January 16-19, 2015.

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, 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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