1. LIVE NATION BUYS CONTROLLING STAKE IN BONNAROO: The concert producer Live Nation Entertainment has bought a controlling stake in the Tennessee indie music festival Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Los Angeles Times: “Bonnaroo, the Manchester, Tenn., indie music event that attracts more than 80,000 attendees a year, was founded in 2002 by the promoters Superfly and AC Entertainment, which will continue to run the festival's day-to-day operations. … The agreement further illustrates an ongoing trend of consolidation in the live music events industry. Live Nation, based in Beverly Hills, last year took a majority stake in C3 Presents, the company behind the Austin City Limits Music Festival and Lollapalooza. In 2013, the company bought a stake in the promoter behind the rave festival Electric Daisy Carnival.” http://lat.ms/1GEN0EI
2. CHICAGO TURNS INTO N.F.L. ‘DRAFT TOWN’: The 80th N.F.L. player draft begins Thursday in Chicago, the first time the event has moved from New York since 1964. Chicago officials as well as producer C3 Presents have planned a number of fan experiences to encourage the league to consider returning. The New York Times: “Come Thursday, the league hopes the party will be in full swing. Buckingham Fountain will light up in colors to match whichever team is picking, while each team operates its own tent for its fans and the league hosts football clinics for local children and football-themed panel discussions for their parents. Teams will submit their picks in the Selection Center, and they will be walked across Michigan Avenue to the Auditorium Theater, where they will be announced. ‘Like a mini Olympic torch relay,’ said Don Welsh, the chief executive of Choose Chicago, the nonprofit tourist agency helping to organize the draft.” http://nyti.ms/1DAM4MS
3. NO FANS ALLOWED AT TODAY’S BALTIMORE ORIOLES GAME: Because of civil unrest in Baltimore, Major League Baseball announced a game today between the Orioles and the Chicago White Sox will be closed to the public, and three other games will move to other cities. USA Today: “According to John Thorn, official historian for Major League Baseball, this will be the first game with zero attendance. The previous low was 6, for a Sept. 28, 1882 game between the host Worcester Ruby Legs and Troy Trojans. … The Orioles may be compensated for moving their games. Major League Baseball and the Orioles will have talks regarding lost revenue after the series, according to MLB spokesman Pat Courtney.” http://usat.ly/1EPQHKf
* LOCAL NEWS *
ATLANTA: Omni Hotels & Resorts announced plans to develop a new 260-room hotel in the mixed-use development adjacent to SunTrust Park in Cobb County, the future home of the Atlanta Braves. The Omni Atlanta Hotel at SunTrust Park, slated to open in spring 2017, will have 12,500 square feet of meeting space, an elevated pool deck and bar overlooking the plaza and ballpark, and a restaurant.
ID3 Group, a full-service fabrication company, has appointed Rick Clark as chief creative officer and Wade McGee as vice president of experiential.
BOSTON: Pitching in for Kids will host its All-Star Comedy Celebration and Auction at Revere Hotel Boston Common on May 18.
CHICAGO: The Estate by Gene & Georgetti will open in Rosemont in July. Designed for weddings and private events, the venue will have a grand ballroom with standing room for 600. Adjacent to the event space will be a new location of the restaurant Gene & Georgetti, which will house three private dining rooms.
LAS VEGAS: Red Dragon will host the Great American Foodie Fest, formerly known as Las Vegas Foodie Fest, Thursday-Sunday, outside the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
LONDON: Leigh Butterfield and Jeremy Brown have launched a destination management company, 2B UK Destination Management Specialists. Both had previously worked in the former AlliedPRA United Kingdom operations.
LOS ANGELES: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles announced that this year’s Bafta U.S. Student Film Awards are slated for June 25 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.
The Actors Fund’s 19th annual Tony awards viewing party will take place June 7 at the Skirball Cultural Center’s Ahmanson Ballroom. Luke Yankee is producing the event, which will feature performances, tributes, and presentation from celebrities.
Gary Murphy will leave his post as director of communications and public relations for the LA Opera. He will continue on as a consultant and manage several special events related to the company’s 30th anniversary.
Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society “Do at the Zoo” benefit takes place May 8 at the zoo. Earlier this month, there was a kickoff party at retailer Bonpoint, which is the fashion sponsor of the benefit.
NEW YORK: The ninth annual Women in Industry Luncheon will take place June 3 at event venue 583 Park Avenue. Actress Christine Ebersole will host the event.
Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
TORONTO: Ontario College of Art and Design University will host its annual graduate exhibition today. The event will showcase artwork from some 600 students.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: On Sunday, Moment magazine and the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute will host a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 at the museum. The event will feature a discussion moderated by journalist Steven V. Roberts with former Congressman Barney Frank, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and civil rights leader Julian Bond. The event will include live music from the era as well as a photo exhibition of some of the period's iconic photographs.
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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, and Anna Sekula in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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