March 28, 2018: Breitbart Ventures Into Live Events, North American 2026 World Cup Bid Would Host Three Opening Games, Oscars Board President's Harassment Allegation Dismissed

1. BREITBART VENTURES INTO LIVE EVENTS: Right-wing news and opinion website Breitbart will host its first live event next month. The New York Times: “Following the lead of other media companies seeking fresh sources of revenue, the right-wing news and opinion site is set to host its first-ever town hall in suburban New Orleans next month, a panel on privacy and technology with the commentator Ann Coulter and Peter Schweizer, the author of ‘Clinton Cash.’ It’s an experiment for a site that has lately been confronting declining web traffic and turbulence in its top ranks. Stephen K. Bannon, the site’s longtime executive chairman, was forced out in January. Its page views last month were down by nearly half from a year earlier, according to the data-tracking firm comScore, though Breitbart disputes the figure. The Louisiana event is ‘the latest evolution in how to consume Breitbart content,’ said Alexander Marlow, the site’s editor in chief. By branching into public forums, the site is taking a cue from one of its perennial foes: the mainstream media. News outlets like Vanity Fair, The Washington Post and The New York Times have long sponsored conferences and speaking events. The Breitbart event is to be held on April 5 at Andrea’s, an Italian restaurant in Metairie, La. The topic—the gatekeeping power of Facebook and other online platforms—coincides with a broader conservative offensive against Big Tech. Breitbart is one of several right-wing sites that have accused Facebook, Google and Twitter of suppressing right-wing voices, claims that the tech companies have denied.” https://nyti.ms/2GjyHdR

2. NORTH AMERICAN 2026 WORLD CUP BID WOULD HOST THREE OPENING GAMES: The North American bid to host the World Cup in 2026 would involve three opening games—one in the U.S., one in Canada, and one in Mexico. ESPN: "The United Bid Committee published its full 530-page bid book on Monday, and featured proposals for the full schedule and potential stadium locations. The bid group's initial plan was for the U.S. to host 60 of the 80 games, including the opener and all matches from the quarterfinals onward—which was at first met with skepticism in Mexico. But after some recent global resistance to the plans as well, the bid has played up the unity between the counties—while downplaying the U.S.'s prominence—and an unprecedented three-game, three-nation opening day would follow that theme. ... The 'main' opening match would be in either Mexico City or Los Angeles, the bid book said. Mexico City hosted the opener at the 1970 and 1986 World Cups, while L.A. also hosted it in nearby Pasadena in 1994. However, Los Angeles' part in the bid at all remains in doubt after the city council last month expressed concerns with FIFA's requirements. The plan for the U.S. to host every game from the quarterfinals remains, however. The bid book proposal calls for Mexico and Canada to each host seven group-stage games, two matches in the round of 32, and one in the round of 16. The bid also proposed for the final the 84-953 capacity MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey—just outside of New York City—as well as Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Dallas' AT&T Stadium for the semifinals." https://es.pn/2E1aebz

3. OSCARS BOARD PRESIDENT'S HARASSMENT ALLEGATION DISMISSED: A sexual harassment complaint that was brought against John Bailey, the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, has been dismissed. Bailey will continue to serve as president of the board. The Hollywood Reporter: "In a statement on Tuesday night, the organization said, 'The Committee unanimously determined that no further action was merited on this matter. The findings and recommendations of the committee were reported to the Board which endorsed its recommendation. John Bailey remains President of the Academy.' The statement referred to an investigation undertaken by the Academy's membership committee following a complaint of sexual harassment that had been lodged against the Academy president. While the Academy said 'it took the complaint very seriously,' the committee 'unanimously agreed that no further action was merited on this matter' and passed its findings and recommendations on to the full board of governors, which endorsed its conclusions. ... Earlier this month, it was reported that three sexual harassment complaints had been filed against Bailey. The Academy said Tuesday that those reports of three claims were incorrect, saying, 'there was only one claim under consideration which was received on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.' That one claim quickly became one of the first tests of the Academy's new code of conduct and procedures for its enforcement. The Academy adopted the code of conduct for its members in December, following its expulsion of disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein in October, and it then adopted new procedures to handle allegations of workplace misconduct in January." https://bit.ly/2GiMema

* LOCAL NEWS *

ATLANTA:  FedEx will sponsor free admission to the Center for Civil and Human Rights on April 4 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The center will offer extended hours from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

AUSTIN:  SXSW 2019 will take place March 8-17. 

CHICAGO:  Children’s Place Association, a nonprofit that helps children confronting illness and extreme poverty, will host its black-tie charity gala April 14 at Morgan Manufacturing. The gala will have a “Once Upon a Time…at the Castle of Dragons” theme and will honor Blue Man Group. 

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA:  Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach is now open. The 200-room property has 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. 

LAS VEGAS:  SLS Las Vegas’s Monkey Bar will serve three specialty “Fake News” mocktails during the National Association of Broadcasters Show April 7-12. 

LOS ANGELES:  The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (A.S.C.A.P.) will host its 35th annual A.S.C.A.P. Pop Music Awards April 23. The invite-only event will honor Lana Del Rey with the A.S.C.A.P. Global Impact Award and Portugal with the A.S.C.A.P. Vanguard Award. 

SCI-Arc, an independent institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs in architecture, will host Main Event 14 April 28 at its Downtown Los Angeles Art District campus. The dinner event supports the institution’s scholarship endowment fund. 

Disney fan convention D3 will take place August 23-25 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Embassy Suites by Hilton Miami International Airport finished a $10 million renovation that included its 12,000 square feet of meeting space, restaurant, lounge, and other areas of the 318-suite hotel.

NEW YORK:  New Museum’s annual spring gala will take place April 4 at Cipriani Wall Street. The gala theme is “Get Your Sparkle On!”

The Watermill Center’s pre-summer party will take place April 5 at Spring Place. The event will include an immersive dinner by Austrian chef and artist Paul Renner.

The 22nd annual Webby Awards will take place May 14 at Cipriani Wall Street. Amber Ruffin will host the event. 

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  American Pie Council’s 24th annual National Pie Championships will take place April 6-7 at the Rosen Centre Hotel. 

TORONTO:  The 39th annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards will take place June 25 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Astrid Van Wieren will host the event. 

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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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