August 20, 2015: MTV Doesn’t Invite Non-Famous Nominees to V.M.A.s, Clinton Campaign Wants Fund-Raising Guests to Pay for Catering, How the Largest Music Festival Books Hundreds of Acts Each Year

1. MTV DOESN’T INVITE NON-FAMOUS NOMINEES TO V.M.A.S: While superstars like Taylor Swift and Kanye West do not have to pay for tickets to the MTV Video Music Awards, non-famous nominees are not event invited to the award show. If they can reach someone at MTV—a difficult process, it turns out—they are offered the chance to purchase tickets, which range from $450 to $800. The policy is disappointing for nominees who would like to attend the August 30 show in downtown Los Angeles. Filmmaker Josh Forbes, nominated for a music video he directed, started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to pay for tickets and other expenses for him and his wife. The Daily Beast: “Before he dreamt up his GoFundMe campaign, Forbes first waited to receive info on how to attend the VMAs—surely MTV would be in touch!—but those details never came. … Most directors, he figures, just have to come to terms with the disappointment of being left out of their own awards show.” http://thebea.st/1fpN16f

2. CLINTON CAMPAIGN WANTS FUND-RAISING GUESTS TO PAY FOR CATERING: Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign is asking the Federal Election Commission for permission to let supporters at her fund-raising events pay for their own food and beverage, as well as valet parking, without it counting as an in-kind donation. The New York Times: “In the request, the campaign wrestled with the distinctly Washington dilemma of how to provide alcohol and nourishment to a roomful of hungry donors. Marc Elias, a lawyer for the Clinton campaign, argued in the letter to the F.E.C. that if Mrs. Clinton holds a fund-raiser at a hotel or a restaurant – but doesn’t explicitly promise the guests any food or drinks – the donors should be free to buy it themselves without a legal problem.” http://nyti.ms/1J6nfOY

3. HOW THE LARGEST MUSIC FESTIVAL BOOKS HUNDREDS OF ACTS EACH YEAR: Summerfest books about 600 acts for the nearly two-week-long music festival in Milwaukee, a process that takes nearly a year. Led by entertainment director Bob Babisch, Summerfest staff start with booking headlining artists for a 20,000-seat amphitheater and then move on to finding popular yet lower-cost bands to fill out the other stages at the festival, which draws about 775,000 people and may be the largest in the country. Forbes: “The problem with having as many days and stages as we have is inventory. It takes a lot of bands to fill this schedule. You’re scrambling to find people who want to work.” http://onforb.es/1NlJVyW

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Shake Shack's fifth Boston-area restaurant is slated to open at the Watermark Seaport development in 2017. Eater: http://bit.ly/1J1HiON

CHICAGO:  The 27th annual Oyster Fest will bring seafood restaurants and oysters houses from across North America to the corner of Hubbard and Rush streets September 11. Synth-pop act St. Lucia will perform at the event, which is expected to attract more than 6,000 people.

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN:  The seventh edition of ArtPrize, an international art competition that will feature crowdsourced activations from Honda and Pantone, will run from September 23-October 11 at public and private venues across three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids.

LAS VEGAS:  All Baby and Child Corporation will host its ABC Kids Expo October 18-21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event draws nearly 15,000 people each year and occupies about one million square feet of exhibit space.

Salute, an Italian restaurant helmed by chef Luciano Sautto, is slated to open in September at the Red Rock Resort. The 4,000-square-foot space will feature an antipasto bar that offers seafood and vegetarian dishes.

LOS ANGELES:  Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell will make an appearance at Birchbox's traveling pop-up August 29 at the Grove. Press release: http://prn.to/1E6cqNT

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Coral Gables Community Foundation will host "A Night in Old Shanghai," a black-tie benefit on October 16 at the Coral Gables Country Club.

The Shore Club will be redeveloped as Fasano Hotel and Residences at Shore Club, a 100-room luxury hotel with 75 residences that is slated to open in 2017. It will be the Brazilian-based company’s first Fasano property in the United States.

NEW ORLEANS:  Loews New Orleans Hotel has named Mohan Koka as its new general manager. Koka comes to the 285-room hotel from the Loews Atlanta Hotel.

NEW YORK:  Jams by Jonathan Waxman has opened at 1 Hotel Central Park. The restaurant, a reincarnation of Waxman's 1980s-era concept, serves California-inspired, farm-to-table cuisine. It has a 110-seat dining room and 20-seat bar.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has appointed Linda Chin as director of operations for New York City. She will oversee 70 Park Avenue, Eventi, Ink48, and the Muse.

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  "Canines, Cats & Cabaret" will take place on Sunday at the Orlando Repertory Theatre. The event will raise money for Orange County Animal Services and Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/1MyhCeY

PHILADELPHIA:  L.G.B.T. groups planning to host events surrounding Pope Francis's visit next month have to search for a new venue after being told the events aren't welcome in a Catholic church. The Advocate: http://bit.ly/1JiZSik

SAN FRANCISCO:  Changes to Facebook's event listings made the seventh annual Goat Festival at the San Francisco Ferry Building go unexpectedly viral. CNNMoney: http://cnnmon.ie/1E6aPHR

TORONTO:  The new rules set forth by the International Olympic Committee that are meant to cut the cost of bidding for the Olympics might not actually make Toronto's 2024 Olympic bid any cheaper. CBC: http://bit.ly/1E6dIIS

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The 45th annual Labor Day Art Show at Glen Echo Park will take place September 5-7 in the Spanish Ballroom. The event includes a member and donor preview and a public opening reception.

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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.

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