BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #385 — Wednesday, 11.07.12
Compiled today by Melissa Ward Schorsch in New York
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* INCOMING *
1. OBAMA'S SMALLER VICTORY PARTY: President Obama was reelected for another term on Tuesday, and despite major excitement from his supporters, the event at McCormick Place was much more subdued than in 2008. The Chicago Tribune: "Though the venue for Obama's Tuesday night election-results viewing party lacked the spectacle of 2008's sprawling event in Grant Park, revelers made the most of it. ... Planners never expected the rally to equal what took place in 2008, when an estimated 240,000 people streamed into Grant Park to see a victorious Obama speak. His campaign chose to remain indoors this year, where the crowd was limited to a few thousand supporters. For Obama supporters who got a ticket, the change in venue mattered only a little.” http://trib.in/UhXQLJ
In Boston last night, Romney supporters gathered in the Boston Covention Center. Boston.com: "Supporters bought bottles of beer for $7, ate beef and turkey sliders, and were offered praline hazelnut chocolates with Romney’s campaign logo on them" while poll numbers rolled in. http://bo.st/UjIXIS
In other election-night news, the Empire State Building was illuminated with LED lights in red and blue that kept a running tally of which candidate was ahead as poll numbers were announced. Mashable: http://on.mash.to/Sy22lq
2. INDUSTRY REACTION: Event professionals are likely largely happy with Obama’s win: 54.5 percent of BizBash readers in our election poll last month said they’d vote to reelect the President. http://bizba.sh/T0dHaS
Some reaction this morning:
Rita Gutekanst, co-owner, Limelight Food Illuminated, Chicago: "Congratulations to President Obama. I look forward to four more years of economic recovery, job growth, Obamacare, equal pay, and women's rights. I hope for significantly more bipartisanship that promotes green industry and technology."
Julie Shanklin, president and C.E.O., Syzygy Events International, Washington: "The last four years have been the most amazing in the industry that I have experienced. We had a couple of lean years during [George W. Bush's] term where all of us in the event industry struggled. We do a lot of corporate work, and it has increased substantially over while President Obama has been in office. The event industry does not do well when big business is failing, so I can tell you that things are currently in good shape and getting better.”
3. PLANNERS GATHER POST-SANDY: From editor in chief Chad Kaydo: BizBash and NYC & Company co-hosted a meeting of about 40 event professionals on Tuesday afternoon to share information about Hurricane Sandy's impact on events and meetings. Held at the Sentry Center conference facility on Seventh Avenue, the meeting effectively took the temperature of the industry as it begins to formulate a response to the economic impact of the storm.
NYC & Company C.E.O. George Fertitta opened the meeting with an overview of the convention and tourism bureau's efforts so far and stressed the importance of balancing concern for the people most affected by the storm with the importance of communicating that New York is largely back to business as usual: "We do not want to be in a situation where we send a message that keeps people away."
Fertitta and other event professionals stressed the point that for out-of-town hosts, spending money on events and meetings here is one way to help the city recover. Read the full report: http://bizba.sh/TJwMmk
4. MINI'S CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE: BMW brand Mini will launch a Mini Goes to Santa Claus initiative November 24 in which it will also attempt to break a Guinness World Record. A fleet of cars will drive to Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle to bring Christmas letters and wish lists to Santa Claus.http://bit.ly/VCIYHK
5. DRINK-ORDERING APP: Now available in several bars and clubs in San Francisco and looking to expand, an app dubbed Coaster allows patrons to order drinks without ever approaching a crowded bar. Users order and pay for drinks through Coaster, and the bartender receives said order on an iPad. Once drinks are prepared, the bartender sends a push notification to the patron to signal the order is ready. Mashable: http://on.mash.to/XjjUX4
++ A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR: Event Leadership Institute ++
Up-Coming Webinar: Destination Weddings | Milena Santoro, CEO of MS Productions | November 6th at 1PM EST. In This webinar, Milena will walk you through all aspects involved in organizing and executing a destination wedding.
* LOCAL NEWS *
BOSTON: Jay Hajj of Mike's City Diner will pair up with chefs Ken Oringer, Ming Tsai, and others for a dinner tonight benefitting Hurricane Sandy relief. The $500-a-head dinner at Mike's City Diner will offer a lavish spread of oysters, foie gras, white truffles, duck, lobster, and more.
CHICAGO: Diffa Chicago will host a holiday runway show to benefit local charities at Northbrook Court on Thursday. The event will offer a dessert bar from Whole Foods, a Neiman Marcus Beauty Bar, and gift bags.
LAS VEGAS: Chef Robert Butler of Café Ile Saint Louis at Paris Las Vegas was named the World Food Championships’ first-ever champ at the "Final Table" event held at Caesars Palace on Sunday.
LOS ANGELES: Variety’s third-annual "Power of Comedy" event, honoring Seth MacFarlane, will take place November 17 at Avalon Hollywood.
Local event listings from Masterplanner:http://masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Museum of Contemporary Art's annual fund-raiser, Mystery Dates, is November 17. Several dinner parties will be held at private homes around the greater Miami area, and guests find out which location they'll go to the day of the event.
NEW YORK: Canard Inc. will cater the Big Apple Circus gala at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park November 9.
Bowen & Company has promoted Kristin Madden to vice president. Since joining the firm in 2009, she has worked with clients including Aid to Artisans, Museum for African Art, and the James Beard Foundation.
Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO: Hard Rock International's "Imagine There's No Hunger" campaign is taking place now through December to benefit WhyHunger, an organization that supports grassroots efforts to end childhood hunger and poverty. The campaign, created with the support of artist and musician Yoko Ono Lennon, offers live-music events, limited-edition merchandise, and food drives at Hard Rock locations worldwide.
TAMPA: MMD Events has launched Small Dog Design Group as the exclusive Tampa distributor for the Illuma-Pro light system.
TORONTO: Target announced a partnership with the Toronto Fashion Incubator for the organization's New Label Fashion Design contest for up-and-coming designers. The competition winner will design a collection to be sold at Canadian Target stores in 2014.
WASHINGTON: To benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy, the Hamilton and Clyde's Restaurant Group will host a benefit concert November 11. The event will also feature a raffle and silent auction. Some sponsors include the American Red Cross, MillerCoors, Bacardi, Grey Goose, Capital Meat, Keany Produce, Adams-Burch, and Libbey Glass, among others.
YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected].
JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job:http://jobs.bizbash.com
With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Lauren Matthews, Anna Sekula, Ellen Sturm Niz, and Melissa Ward Schorsch in New York.
BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
