1. C.E.S. ATTENDEES CONNECT ON SECRET APP: Attendees at International C.E.S. in Las Vegas this week can connect with one another through a dedicated feed on the app Secret, bypassing channels such as Twitter or even an official event app. If users embrace the concept, the feature could extend to other major events such as Sundance, South by Southwest, or Coachella. TechCrunch: “Which panel at this conference isn’t boring? Where’s the after-party? Your friends and followers around the world probably don’t know or care. But people nearby might, and Secret wants to connect you to them. Today Secret launches a CES feed that only people at the conference can share to. While posts will be anonymous, the point is to create a hyper-local backchannel for temporary communities.” http://tcrn.ch/1tLBvJa
2. MARRIOTT SEEKS TO RESTRICT WI-FI ACCESS IN CONFERENCE SPACE: Citing cyber security concerns, Marriott is seeking to block guests from accessing the Internet using personal Wi-Fi hot spots in its conference and event space. The company, which already received a fine from the Federal Communications Commission for jamming guests’ hot spots at a Nashville hotel, hopes to change the rule so it can continue to charge between $250 and $1,000 for access to its own network. Consumerist: “As anyone who has attended, worked at, or tried to cover a large or tech-heavy conference can relate (E3, I’m looking at you), event rooms are exactly where you need your personal hotspot the most. Show floors, plenary sessions, or even breakout panels and seminars often have way more people in them trying to use the available wifi than the networks can generally support, and even getting out a tweet or an e-mail—let alone images or video—can be an exercise in futility unless you’ve got a personal hotspot to hand.” http://bit.ly/1tFwNqS
3. BILLIONAIRE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW L.A. STADIUM: The owner of the St. Louis Rams announced plans Monday to build a stadium in Inglewood and move the N.F.L. franchise to Los Angeles. The plans from owner Stan Kroenke include an 80,000-seat stadium and a 6,000-seat performance venue. Los Angeles Times: “The announcement is the latest in more than a dozen stadium proposals that have come and gone in the meandering, two-decade effort to bring an NFL franchise back to the nation's second-largest media market. But Kroenke's move marks the first time an existing team owner has controlled a local site large enough for a stadium and parking. … The developers said no tax dollars would be used for the construction project, including the stadium. The group plans to begin gathering signatures soon for an initiative that would place the entire project on the Inglewood municipal ballot in 2015.” http://lat.ms/1BoZoHh
* INDUSTRY NEWS *
Briggs Inc. announced winners of this year's June Briggs Awards, which honor people and companies within New York City's destination management and hospitality industries. The honorees are NBC's Al Roker, the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Bounce Entertainment, and Tom Viola and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The awards will be presented Sunday at the Eventi hotel.
* LOCAL NEWS *
BOSTON: Wynn Resorts plans to open a Boston-area casino by late 2017. Plans for the Everett property include 630 guest rooms, meeting space, and a ballroom.
CHICAGO: Bangers & Lace is now open in Evanston. The 4,200-square-foot space seats 130 guests and offers a seasonal menu with items such as venison sausage with blueberry jam.
LAS VEGAS: Audi is sending a self-driving A7 on a two-day road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to Las Vegas for International C.E.S. Cnet: http://cnet.co/1tKeSoq
LOS ANGELES: On January 16, the Cheeses of Europe will host a cheese tasting event at Santa Monica Place. The free public event will feature tastings, a cheese-theme art exhibit, and cheese for sale.
Pacifica Hotels has reopened the Marina del Rey Hotel after a $25 million renovation. The property has 9,700 square feet of event space.
Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The restaurant Seasalt and Pepper has been renamed Seaspice. Also new to the waterfront seafood restaurant: an adjacent hot stone and crudo lounge dubbed Modern Garden.
NEW YORK: The National Arts Club will host an opening reception Thursday for an exhibition of 80 Goya etchings that previously were considered lost. The exhibit runs through January 31.
Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO: New York-based the One Group will bring its STK steak house to the new Disney Springs development by the end of 2015. The upscale restaurant will have seating for nearly 400 people, private dining rooms, and rooftop dining.
TORONTO: Canada’s Top 10 Film Festival is running through Sunday. The 10-day event showcases films at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Chef and restaurateur Mike Isabella announced plans to open the Greek restaurant Kapnos Kouzina in the Bethesda Row shopping center this summer. The 5,200-square-foot eatery will have about 160 seats, including a 14-seat communal table, a 31-seat bar and chef-counter seating for 12, and a 94-seat patio. Also in the works are Kapnos Taverna locations opening in Ballston this month and in Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this summer.
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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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