July 24, 2018: Japan Concerned About Heat Levels Ahead of 2020 Olympics, WWE Announces First-Ever All-Women's Pay-Per-View Event, Cannes Lions Festival Revenue Down, Approval Ratings Up

1. JAPAN CONCERNED ABOUT HEAT LEVELS AHEAD OF 2020 OLYMPICS: A city near Tokyo recently reported a record 106 degrees in a heat wave that has Japan concerned about conditions for athletes and attendees at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Wall Street Journal: "Authorities have reported at least 23 deaths related to the high temperatures, including one woman who was found collapsed in a field on Monday north of Tokyo. Nine high-school students were sent to a hospital with heat-related symptoms after attending a baseball game in southern Japan that was part of the annual national summer tournament. While it is rare for temperatures to top 100 degrees in Japan, they often exceed 90 degrees during the summer months, which are also very humid. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the new record temperature was recorded in the city of Kumagaya, about an hour northwest of Tokyo by train, at midafternoon on Monday. The previous record, which was marginally lower, was set in 2013 in southern Japan. ... The burst of extreme heat, which has been going on for more than a week, has rekindled questions about the timing of the next Summer Olympics, due to run from July 24 to Aug. 9, 2020. When Tokyo last hosted the Games in 1964 they were held in October to avoid the heat. But International Olympic Committee rules now require host cities to stage the Games in July and August. Earlier this month, the head of an IOC inspection team said the organizers would consider all options to limit the impact of Tokyo’s summer heat on the Games. Since then, start times for some events have been moved earlier in the day—including the marathon—which will begin at 7 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. Local authorities are looking into other measures such as paving sidewalks that reflect less heat and planting larger trees to provide more shade." https://on.wsj.com/2v1zBHA
 

2. WWE ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER ALL-WOMEN'S PAY-PER-VIEW EVENT: For the first time, WWE will broadcast its first-ever all-women's pay-per-view event, titled Evolution. The event will take place live October 28 from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. ESPN: "'Three years ago, our fans demanded a change with #GiveDivasAChance,' said Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, WWE executive vice president of talent, live events, and creative. 'Everything that's happened since then has come from that demand—their insistence on seeing that change. Once given the [chance], they have taken every opportunity and not only knocked it out of the park, but hit a grand slam.' More than three months out from the event, the exact makeup of the card is still yet to be determined, but one match already is set in stone—the finals of the second annual Mae Young Classic tournament. As you might expect, WWE is bringing out all of their heaviest hitters for Evolution. On Monday night's edition of Raw, Stephanie McMahon, WWE's chief brand officer and on-screen commissioner of Monday Night Raw, revealed to the world and the women of Raw and SmackDown the name of the event and a few key details about how it'll play out. It's the latest opportunity she has had to kick off the excitement for a major move forward for the WWE's women's divisions. ... On the WWE's pay-per-view calendar, Evolution falls squarely in between the WWE's upcoming Super Show-Down in Melbourne, Australia, and Survivor Series, separated by three weeks in either direction. With its first all-women's pay-per-view, WWE has committed itself to putting on a show on scale with their other pay-per-view events. While McMahon is a strong candidate to play an on-screen role in the event in some fashion, she'll also play a part in the chaos and creation of everything that appears on screen on the night of October 28." https://es.pn/2uZOsSU

3. CANNES LIONS FESTIVAL REVENUE DOWN, APPROVAL RATINGS UP: Media company Ascential reported that Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity revenue declined this year, but that the event’s approval ratings are up. Advertising Age: “In late 2017, Cannes organizers announced a slate of changes to the festival following backlash from agencies and holding companies complaining that advertising's biggest event of the year has gotten too expensive. For this year's festival, organizers introduced a shorter schedule, imposed an entry cap on work that could be submitted, cut award subcategories, reduced the price for passes, and made other changes. The festival saw a 9 percent organic constant currency revenue decline, Ascential said, attributing that decline to one-year withdrawal of Publicis Groupe from the event and the ‘refreshed awards structure.’ However, organizers said ‘very strong growth’ in Money20/20 (Ascential's payments and financial services event business) offset that decline. … The Cannes Lions festival has three main revenue streams, which include award entries; delegates or pass-holders; and partnerships and digital. The company said award entries fell 21 percent this year, which it attributed to the Publicis pullout and retirement of certain Lions awards and subcategories. Ascential said ‘good levels of interest’ in new Lions ‘offset long established declines in Print and Outdoor Lions categories.’ Delegate revenue also declined, ‘mainly as a result of reduced participation by agency holding companies including Publicis combined with the standardization to a single five-day pass,’ Ascential said. Partnerships and digital revenue, which comprise 21 percent of Cannes Lions total revenue, did increase 35 percent compared to last year." https://bit.ly/2uXNhDC

* LOCAL NEWS *

BALTIMORE:  Sagamore Pendry Baltimore has appointed Mark Robertson director of sales and marketing. 

CHICAGO:  Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago will hold its 17th annual Gala of the Arts September 7 at the Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier. The event will have a silent auction, raffle, and live performance by the Doo Wop Project.

Bar Ramone, a new wine bar from Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group, will open in River North by early fall. The venue will have a curated wine program of just under 100 bottles, run by Ryan Arnold and Richard Hanauer. The restaurant will also serve Spanish small plates from chefs Hisanabou Osaka and Doug Psaltis. 

DALLAS/FORT WORTH:  The grand opening of Texas Live! will take place August 9. The entertainment complex is slated to debut a $150 million flagship hotel and event center—which will include 35,000 square feet of meeting space—in 2019. 

LAS VEGAS:  Hakkasan Group has appointed Krystle Anttonelli director of public relations. 

LOS ANGELES:  The 76th annual Golden Globe awards will take place at the Beverly Hilton January 6. Nominations will be announced December 6. 

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Tex-Mex restaurant Chuy’s opens its second South Florida location today in Kendall. 

NEW ORLEANS:  The 25th edition of Essence Festival will take place July 4-7, 2019. 

NEW YORK:  The fourth annual New York Coffee Festival will take place October 12-14 at Metropolitan Pavilion. The event will have more than 100 exhibitors, including Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Joe Coffee Company, and Bluestone Lane. 

Performing arts organization Performa will hold its annual gala November 1. 

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

TORONTO:  Toronto International Film Festival has canceled its press conference that was slated for today following a deadly shooting in the city on Sunday. The Hollywood Reporter: https://bit.ly/2uUHfnb

TACOMA, WASHINGTON:  The second annual VetsAid musical festival will take place November 11 at the Tacoma Dome. The festival will feature performances by Don Henley, James Taylor, Chris Stapleton, Haim, and Joe Walsh. VetsAid is a national nonprofit veterans organization established by Walsh.

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

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