September 25, 2013: Oracle C.E.O Skips Conference for Yacht Race, McDonald's Marketing Chief Out, Mysterious Twitter Feed Revealed

1. ORACLE C.E.O. SKIPS OWN KEYNOTE FOR AMERICA'S CUP RACE: Oracle Corp. C.E.O. Larry Ellison skipped his keynote address at Oracle OpenWorld Tuesday so he could attend an America's Cup sailing race as his Oracle Team USA made a comeback vs. New Zealand. Reuters: "America's Cup sailing is a major passion for Ellison, rivaled only by his focus on expanding what is already the world's third-largest software maker. Last week, Ellison was absent from Oracle's quarterly earnings conference call with analysts so that he could be close to the racing, which the sailing enthusiast has been viewing from a team speedboat." http://bit.ly/16HUYJd

2. MCDONALD'S MARKETING CHIEF TO LEAVE: McDonald's, whose Worldwide Convention was named BizBash's top innovative meeting of 2013, will part ways with head U.S. marketing chief Neil Golden. Los Angeles Times: "As chief marketing officer since April 2008, Golden helped introduce the McCafe line of beverages, expand the Dollar Menu and add fruit servings to Happy Meals. The Oak Brook, Ill., company did not say who would succeed Golden or when a successor would be named, saying in a statement that 'it is too soon to speculate.'" http://lat.ms/1bE3e3Y

3. MYSTERIOUS TWITTER FEED REVEALED AS ART PROMOTION: A mysterious Twitter feed @Horse_ebooks had mystified users as it put forth content that toed the line between gibberish and aphorism along with a YouTube channel, Pronunciation Book. New Yorker: "Both accounts have spawned speculation among the hundreds of thousands of people who have viewed them. Were they really spambots? Were they some slowly unfolding promotion for, say, a new phone or movie? Were they machines testing out a new kind of artificial intelligence? Were they Edward Snowden’s side projects? Most of those questions will be answered [Tuesday], starting at 10 a.m., at the Fitzroy Gallery, on the Lower East Side. There, the creators of the two accounts, Jacob Bakkila and Thomas Bender, will prove that they are indeed human, appearing in a performance that is the final flourish in this suite of conceptual-art pieces." http://nyr.kr/15pinPm

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Dick’s Last Resort will celebrate 20 years in its Faneuil Hall location by offering ribs for 20 cents each on October 3.

CHICAGO:  Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design, known as Sofa, will mark its 20th annual fair with the debut of Connect, with student-designed environments. The fair will take place at Navy Pier November 1-3, and the five Connect environments will be showcased alongside some 70 galleries.

According to Successful Meetings, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority has selected Marriott to operate a headquarters hotel next to McCormick Place. Expected to open in 2016, the property will be a Marriott Marquis with 1,200 rooms. It would be part of a "McCormick Place Entertainment District" with hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and more. http://bit.ly/15rssAM

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA:  Cort Trade Show & Event Furnishings has hired Felisha Cook as a district account executive in the North Florida district.

LAS VEGAS:  Organizers of IMEX America have published full details of the show’s professional education program, which runs October 15-17 at the Sands Expo. The program starts on Smart Monday, powered by Meeting Professionals International, October 14.

Bruno Mars will open the Cosmopolitan resort’s new intimate performance venue and event space, the Chelsea, on December 29 and December 31. These shows will inaugurate the venue and tease a series of six Bruno Mars concert dates at the Chelsea in 2014.

Buddy V's Ristorante, from Cake Boss's Buddy Valastro, has an opening date set for October 7. The new venue will be located inside the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian and Palazzo.

LOS ANGELES:  Citi announced the launch of a collaboration with superstar Katy Perry in conjunction with the release of her third studio album, Prism, next month. An event known as "Katy Perry's: We Can Survive" will take to the Hollywood Bowl on October 23, benefiting Young Survival Coalition and produced by CBS Radio. Press release: http://on.wsj.com/15qiQ9s

A pop-up experience from AirBnB, "Hello L.A." will include immersive events around celebrity-designed, pop-up listings for overnight stays in five different iconic locations around Los Angeles starting Friday. Celebrity hosts will make an appearance at their listing during events, some of which are open to the public. Each pop-up design is a reflection of the celebrity hosts’ style.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  As part of its “Bleau Goes Pink” initiative in partnership with Susan G. Komen Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Fontainebleau Miami Beach will illuminate the façade of the resort’s Chateau Tower and the hotel lobby in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The initiative kicks off Tuesday with a lighting ceremony and reception on the Fontainebleau poolscape.

Turnberry Isle Miami appointed Nestor Marchand as food and beverage director.

Event organizers have announced the theme for the Palm Beach Zoo’s annual gala: “The Garden in the Wild." The event is January 31 at the Breakers.

Scope Art Show has named Katelijne De Backer as director of exhibitor relations. Scope Miami Beach has a new location this year at Ocean Drive and 10th Street and will have a 70,000-square-foot pavilion and outdoor beach lounge. This year's event begins December 2 with a Platinum Preview Gala, with the event continuing through December 8.

NEW YORK:  The Somaly Mam Foundation, with a mission of ending sex slavery and empowering survivors, will host its annual Life Is Love gala October 23 at Gotham Hall. Katie Couric will host the event, with help from Seth Meyers during a live auction.

PaleyFest: Made in NY announced talent slated to appear at its inaugural New York event October 2-6 at the Paley Center, including Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys of The Americans, Michael Kenneth Williams and Gretchen Mol of Boardwalk Empire, and Jenji Kohan and Taylor Schilling of Orange Is the New Black.

Loot 2013, an exhibition and contemporary jewelry sale benefiting the Museum of Arts and Design, has its opening benefit October 1 at the museum.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

TORONTO:  Shine On, a fund-raiser hosted by Project Sunshine Canada's Young Patrons Circle, will take place on Thursday at Andrew Richard Designs. This year's event has a vintage-carnival theme.

WASHINGTON:  Sticky Fingers will help celebrate the release of John Schlimm’s book The Cheesy Vegan with an event Friday next to its location at 1370 Park Road Northwest. The ticketed event will include tastes from the book along with a cash bar, door prizes, and a raffle. Proceeds benefit Compassion Over Killing and the Kindness Collective.

The nonprofit PRS will hold its 50th anniversary celebration, Shaping the Future—A Celebration of Hope & Recovery, October 5 at the Gannett/USA Today Atrium in McLean, Virginia.

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Lauren Matthews, and Anna Sekula in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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