Connect Spring Marketplace Just Got Better.
Connect Spring Marketplace Just Got Better—Win Big at Wynn.

Call Sheet #66: Olympic Games Countdown, X Games Preview, Travel Tax News

BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #66 — Wednesday, 07.27.11

Compiled today by Chad Kaydo in New York
Feed the Sheet: [email protected]
Subscribe: http://info.bizbash.com/callsheet.html

* INCOMING *  

1. OLYMPIC GAMES COUNTDOWN: With 365 days until the start of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, British Airways is taking the message to the skies with the message "One Year to Go" displayed on the underbelly of the airline's Airbus A318. The aircraft's first flight with the message departs this afternoon from London City Airport bound for New York. The official airline partner will be flying in customers in from more than 150 worldwide destinations for the London 2012 Games.

Speaking of the Olympics: The Games' Web site is launching a competitive tweeting event of sorts, looking to find which country has the biggest online fan base by counting the number of tweets, YouTube videos, and Flickr photos submitted. Mashable:
http://on.mash.to/q9WHDY

2. X GAMES PREVIEW: ESPN's X Games 17 will take to Los Angeles Thursday through Sunday. The 17th annual action sports competition will showcase more than 200 athletes from around the world. Look for the hoopla (and the traffic congestion) downtown, where venues for the program include Staples Center, the Event Deck at L.A. Live, Nokia Theatre, and Lot 7.

Getting the games underway is the fifth-annual charity kickoff bash, which will be held at the Event Deck tonight. The V Foundation for Cancer Research and Staples Center Foundation will host the event, which includes athlete and celebrity meet-and-greets, and a private viewing of the BMX park and skateboard street practice. Wolfgang Puck will cater.

3. TRAVEL TECH: How's this for an appealing headline for on-the-go event pros? "3 Ways to Keep Your Data With You At All Times," on the New York Times's Gadgetwise blog:
http://nyti.ms/qptvXC

4. HIGHS AND LOWS OF TRAVEL TAXES: The G.B.T.A. Foundation has revealed the best and worst travel taxes in 50 U.S. destinations. "The study reveals that the discriminatory travel taxes and fees enacted on travel-related services impose an average increased cost on visitors of 56% over general sales tax. These taxes are often used to fund local projects unrelated to tourism and business travel." The cities with the highest total taxes on travelers: Chicago, New York, Seattle, Boston, and Kansas City.
http://bit.ly/q23FSN

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON: The new nonstop Japan Air Lines flight from Tokyo to Boston will begin April 22, 2012. The service "will drive growth in Japanese visitors to Boston and New England in 2012 and beyond," said Patrick Moscaritolo, president and C.E.O. of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.
http://bit.ly/n245br

CHICAGO: Diner en Blanc, a concept that originated in France, is coming to Chicago August 27. The 1,000-guest picnic comes together in a flash-mob style, with participants receiving information on location and time right before the event takes place. Urban Daddy Chicago:
http://bit.ly/np35l6

The National Restaurant Association announced yesterday that the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, originally scheduled for May 19-22, will be held May 5-8 at McCormick Place. The change is intended to avoid overlap with the Global G8 and NATO Summits, scheduled to take place in Chicago May 15-22.
http://bit.ly/nRM3SE

LAS VEGAS: The city's first Asian Food Festival & Trade Show expects to draw 40,000 people with 30 food vendors and more than 150 exhibitors and retailers October 1-2. The venue is yet to be announced.
http://bit.ly/q1W8Sq

LOS ANGELES: The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has docked in L.A. harbor for the city's first Navy Week celebration. The huge carrier arrived in port Monday morning for events continuing through Sunday.
http://bit.ly/q4TJnq

Om Creative and DubFrequency are partnering to produce a private pool party Saturday at the Hollywood Roosevelt in partnership with Antenna magazine and Guess, part of a summer traveling event series for that brand.

Variety: Former Rogers & Cowan publicists Matt Paget and Michael Haas have launched their own agency, Extension PR. At Rogers & Cowan, the partners worked with clients like Coca-Cola, Lamborghini, Ford Motor Co., Captain Morgan, the PGA Tour, and NASCAR.
http://bit.ly/q0exfS

MIAMI: The Raleigh Hotel received a $20 million dollar loan to undergo a makeover, set to be completed by December. Designer Mark Cunningham will lead the project. South Florida Business Journal:
http://bit.ly/nK9OSR  

NEW YORK: From senior editor Anna Sekula: "Stopped by Harrison & Shriftman's 'X-mas in July' holiday preview yesterday afternoon, which was held at a new venue near Rockefeller Center. Originally used by Christie's as a private gallery, the 300-person white-walled space sits atop the Simon & Schuster headquarters and is now being offered for events."

The 10-year leases for an Apple store and a Shake Shack outpost in Grand Central Terminal are expected to be finalized today and many are speculating how much traffic the new tenants will bring to the site. The storied venue holds a number of events throughout the year‚ including this week's Nivea pop-up‚ and sees as many as 700,000 commuters a day. The New York Times:
http://nyti.ms/qBmZlB

BR Guest Hospitality has purchased the Strip House steakhouse brand and three of its restaurants from the Glazier Group. New York Post:

ORLANDO: The Vans Warped Tour rolls into the Central Florida Fairgrounds on Friday with more than 65 acts playing throughout the day. Additional sponsors include Kia, Monster, Nintendo DS, Skullcandy, and American Rag.

TORONTO: The 10-day Toronto International Film Festival will open September 8 with a gala presentation of "From the Sky Down," a documentary about band U2. Nine other gala films and 43 special selections, including 31 world premieres, will be screened. Reuters:
http://reut.rs/oH1sIa

WASHINGTON: Tonight, eight restaurants will gather to help those affected by the week-long tornado outbreak that hit the Southwest in April. The tornado relief fund-raiser will donate money to Hope4Souls, which provides funds for building materials, furniture, toys, other items to communities in need. Restaurants include Nage Bistro and the Cheasapeake Room.

ABROAD: Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom will host the Meeting the Sustainability Challenge September 9. Conference & Incentive Travel:
http://bit.ly/p4QrzJ

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected].

With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, Carla Warrilow in Toronto, and Erica Petri, Jana Schiowitz, Anna Sekula, and Courtney Thompson in New York.

BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
Feed the Sheet: [email protected]
Subscribe: http://info.bizbash.com/callsheet.html