August 10, 2018: LeBron James and Nike Partner With Harlem’s Fashion Row’s Awards and Show, San Diego Convention Center Expansion Measure Declined for November Ballot, L.A. Fashion Week Finds Permanent Venue to Expand Events

1. LEBRON JAMES AND NIKE PARTNER WITH HARLEM€'S FASHION ROW€'S AWARDS AND SHOW: Two days before New York Fashion Week on September 6, Nike will present Harlem’s Fashion Row’s style awards and fashion show on September 4. LeBron James will co-present the event and will also be honored. Women’s Wear Daily: “Suitably, the occasion is billed as ‘The Strongest.’ The new Los Angeles Laker will share the stage with fellow honorees Bethann Hardison, Dapper Dan, and stylist Jason Rembert. A fashion activist and documentarian, Hardison has been striving for diversity in the fashion industry for decades. While many recognize Dapper Dan from his ads for Gucci, the Harlem couturier, who was born Daniel Day, defined his own signature style before collaborating with Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele. With Christian Cowan, Winnie Harlow, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Insecure stars Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji among the bold-faced names in his orbit, Rembert could bring a celebrity or two. The gathering will also showcase the work of women-led labels Kimberly Goldson, Fe Noel, and Undra Celeste NY. The dress code for guests and attendees is black tie and Nikes. James knows how to make an entrance. For last spring’s N.B.A. Finals, James and his then-fellow team members on the Cleveland Cavaliers wore coordinating short suits from Thom Browne. The 33-year-old power forward bolstered his fashion quota with a $41,000 alligator-skin doctor’s bag from Browne. In recent years, Nike has fastened ties with the fashion pack, offering editors personal training sessions while in Europe for runway shows.” https://bit.ly/2MyFdAI

2. SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION MEASURE DECLINED FOR NOVEMBER BALLOT: A citizens’ initiative to expand the San Diego Convention Center—the home of Comic-Con International—didn’t get enough valid signatures to make the November ballot. Mayor Kevin Faulconer asked the City Council to consider putting a similar proposal on the ballot on Thursday, but the council voted against the measure. The San Diego Union-Tribune: “The council had been asked to move the measure forward after a citizens’ initiative that would have boosted the hotel tax to finance the expansion project failed to secure enough valid signatures to make it onto the ballot. The measure would have also funded homeless initiatives and road repairs. The vote was 4-4, with four of the council’s Democratic members—Barbara Bry, Georgette Gomez, David Alvarez, and Myrtle Cole—rejecting the mayor’s request to deviate from the council’s own policies in order to place the measure on the ballot. Absent was Councilman Chris Ward. Said Faulconer following the meeting’s conclusion, 'Four members of the City Council put politics over progress. We hear all the time about the need for homeless services, the need to repair our roads, and the need to expand our convention center. The council had the ability to put that on the ballot—to let San Diegans decide—and unfortunately four members said no.' ... The action came one day after the county Registrar of Voters revealed that a citizens’ initiative that would have raised the city’s hotel room tax to bankroll the expansion fell short of the required signatures needed to qualify it for the ballot. A full verification of the signatures, which could take up to 30 business days to complete, is now required, putting the initiative well past this Friday’s deadline for placing anything on the November ballot. Like the initiative, the ballot measure sought by the mayor would have asked voters to raise the city’s effective room tax of 12.5 percent to as much as 15.75 percent to not only bankroll the expansion project, but also provide considerable funding for housing and services for the homeless, as well as for road repairs. The city estimated that the ballot measure would have generated an estimated $5.9 billion in revenues over a period of 42 years." https://bit.ly/2B0pwB6

3. L.A. FASHION WEEK FINDS PERMANENT VENUE TO EXPAND EVENTS: L.A. Fashion Week has partnered with the Peterson Automotive Museum in an effort to expand fashion week events. L.A. Fashion Week held its first event—a Porsche Design and Escada show—at the venue last Friday as part of the new collaboration. Los Angeles Times: "Although neither brand will be showing at LA Fashion Week in the fall (though Escada is on the September New York Fashion Week schedule for the first time), Arthur Chipman, executive producer of LAFW, said the Friday night event was a chance to highlight what his event will look like in the future. Now the official home of LA Fashion Week (although it’s one of several groups that presents twice-yearly runway shows here, Chipman’s is the registered holder of the trademark), the Petersen will host LAFW’s fall and spring runway shows, and Chipman and company will organize more ticketed events at the Mid-Wilshire museum throughout the year. The collaboration is part of Fashion Week’s long-term goal to support Los Angeles fashion, art, and design, Chipman said. For future Petersen events, Fashion Week will recruit local brands that tie into museum exhibits. Next in the pipeline are French-, Japanese- and American-inspired events." https://lat.ms/2KH85VN

* LOCAL NEWS *

ATLANTA:  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “The arm of the Atlanta Braves charged with development has announced a 140-room is coming to the Battery. Aloft Hotel, owned by W Hotels, is set to open in 2020. It joins the 264-room Omni that opened in the shadow of the ballpark in January.” https://on-ajc.com/2Med4Sp

LOS ANGELES:  Malibu Country Mart’s sixth annual Summer Block Party will take place August 11. The family-friendly event will have a petting zoo, henna tattoos, and tarot card readings. 

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Wine Enthusiast’s 19th annual Wine Star Awards will take place January 28, 2019, at Nobu Eden Roc. 

NEW YORK:  Hospitality brand Cipriani has partnered with Montreal-based multimedia entertainment studio Moment Factory to produce Dream Ship DestiNY, an immersive multimedia experience in the Cunard Building in the Financial District. The event will take audiences on a 35-minute journey through New York, with visual effects and video mapping technology projected onto the venue interior. Previews for the show begin August 24, while an official opening date will be announced at a later date. 

The second annual Octfest, a beer, music, and food festival presented by Pitchfork and beer culture website October, has announced its food lineup, which will be curated by Bon Appétit. Vendors will include Mission Chinese Food, Roberta’s Pizza, OddFellows Ice Cream Co., and KronnerBurger. The event takes place September 8-9 on Governors Island. 

Mondrian Park Avenue has tapped hospitality group In Good Company to lead its food and beverage program. 

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Food for the Poor's 19th annual Celebration of Hope Gala will take place September 29 at Rosen Shingle Creek. The event will honor Harris Rosen, president and chief operating officer of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, with its Ambassador for the Poor award.

SAN FRANCISCO:  The Glaad Gala San Francisco will take place September 15 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. Pop singer Kim Petras will headline the event. 

TORONTO:  Koerner Hall’s 10th anniversary concert season opening festival will take place September 28-30 as part of the Bloor St. Culture Corridor hub of Culture Days. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Magnolia Bluebird Design and Events has moved to a new address, 9711 Washingtonian Boulevard, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The company has also appointed Taren Bradley director of corporate events for its new corporate experiential events division. 

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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Ian Zelaya, and Kristine Liao in New York.

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