1. DEMOCRATS NATIONWIDE CHANGING NAME OF JEFFERSON-JACKSON DINNER: The Iowa Democratic Party is the latest organization to vote to change the name of the popular Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. The political event was named after Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson—both of whom owned slaves. The New York Times: “Jefferson-Jackson dinners have been a Democratic tradition dating back decades, helping to raise money for state and local parties. Nowhere is it more celebrated than in Iowa, where more than 9,000 Democrats turned out in 2007 to hear speeches from a field led by Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton in their quest for the party’s presidential nomination. State party committees in Georgia, Connecticut and Missouri also recently dropped the names of Jefferson and Jackson from the annual fund-raising dinners, and similar moves are being considered in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Arkansas, Maine and Tennessee, President Jackson’s home state.” http://nyti.ms/1HBk2mq
2. CULINARY EVENT COMPANY PLANS EXPANSION WITH NEW FUNDING: Dinner Lab, which hosts dinners across the country with up-and-coming chefs in unusual venues, announced $7 million in Series A funding, which will allow it to expand further across the United States. TechCrunch: “According to the company, Dinner Lab now has about 25,000 members, and will host enough events this year to make it the largest culinary events company in the world. … Each dinner is typically under 120 people, and for this privilege the company charges about $65 per person, which comes with unlimited drinks. This per-meal fee is on top of an annual fee of around $150 per year, which gives members access to the calendar of events in their respective cities.” http://tcrn.ch/1N3olOq
3. MACY’S TO PRESENT FASHION WEEK SHOW AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN: Macy’s will stage its own fashion show during New York Fashion week, an event that will double as a fund-raiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Council of Fashion Designers of America Foundation. The show will also be broadcast on E! Entertainment. Women’s Wear Daily: “The ‘Macy’s Presents Fashion’s Front Row’ event, which officials describe as Macy’s biggest fashion show ever with more than 60 models and approximately 150 looks mixing with music and dance, is set for Sept. 17 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. … Nate Ruess, front man of the band Fun, will perform songs from his debut solo album, 'Grand Romantic.' Other performers are being lined up.” http://bit.ly/1Tk4w5b
* LOCAL NEWS *
ATLANTA: Noble Investment Group is planning a dual-branded hotel in Midtown. Atlanta Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1INp4gF
AUSTIN: The Fun Fun Fun Fest will take place as planned at Vic Mathias Shores from November 6-8. City Council unanimously passed a resolution directing the city's Parks and Recreation Department to allow festival organizer Transmission Events to use a portion of the park's newly renovated off-leash dog park for the event. Austin Monitor: http://bit.ly/1OVtZk6
Pizza Hut was the top sponsor of the gaming convention RTX, which wrapped up its fifth year. Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/1OVslPr
BOSTON: The Hilton Garden Inn Boston Logan Airport is now open. The 178-room hotel offers a 2,100-square-foot ballroom that can seat 265 theater-style.
CHICAGO: Topolobampo and Frontera Grill alum chef Anselmo Ramirez has opened Ixcateco Grill in Albany Park. The 45-seat B.Y.O.B. restaurant will serve Mexican street food.
DALLAS: The World Travel & Tourism Council will host its Global Summit April 6-7 at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel.
HONOLULU: Sky Waikiki, a 7,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor venue on the 19th floor of Waikiki Business Plaza, will host a grand opening weekend August 28-30. The event will have cocktails by mixologist Jennifer Ackrill, cuisine by chef Lance Kosaka, a red carpet with celebrity guests, and Brody Jenner as a DJ.
LAS VEGAS: Astrella will host a launch party for new designs of Magic T’s on August 17 at Foxtail Pool at SLS Las Vegas. The event coincides with the Magic fashion trade show and will give free admission to attendees with their badges.
LOS ANGELES: Dr. Dre and Compton mayor Aja Brown are planning to build a community performing arts center for children funded by royalties from his new album, Compton. New York: http://bit.ly/1UtxSka
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The 25th annual Southern Comfort Conference, one of the largest gatherings of the transgender community, will take place in greater Fort Lauderdale for the next three years. This year’s event, September 29-October 3 at the Bonaventure Resort & Spa, is expected to draw 1,000 attendees.
South Florida event producer Robert Lentoski has launched Get More Productions, a full-service event production company specializing in auto dealership, lifestyle, and charitable events. The company headquarters are located in Coconut Creek.
NEW YORK: PR Week: “James Curich and John Weiss are leaving their respective roles as the PR leaders at William Grant & Sons and Aloha to launch a firm known as The Speakeasy Agency. The shop will open on August 1, based in New York City with a roster of seven William Grant & Sons liquor brands as its first client.” http://bit.ly/1gsuoPU
Local event listings from the new Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: Walt Disney World's French chefs will serve meals from their childhood for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival this fall. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/1May7O1
PHILADELPHIA: The Prince Theater will screen Pope Francis's three favorite films between September 22-24 for the papal visit and the World Meeting of Families. Philadelphia Business Journal: http://bit.ly/1UtyYfz
SAN FRANCISCO: Mayor Ed Lee has proposed using light projections on the east side of City Hall to advertise city events. SFGate: http://bit.ly/1Iwd8AJ
TORONTO: Techvibes Tech Fest, which brings together Toronto's fastest-growing tech companies looking for new talent, will return on September 16 at Steam Whistle Brewing.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum certification, the highest level, from the U.S. Green Building Council. The designation makes it one of four LEED Platinum hotels in the country.
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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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