January 14, 2015: College Football Championship Scores Record Ratings, Would You Get Married in a Starbucks?, Ultra Music Festival Co-Founder Found Dead

1. COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES RECORD RATINGS: The college football championship game Monday became the most-watched cable program ever, according to Nielsen, scoring record ratings for ESPN. The event, in its first year, saw Ohio State beat favorite Oregon 42-20. Adweek: “It's a huge win for ESPN, which inked a 12-year, $7 billion deal with the NCAA in 2012 for the rights to air collegiate pigskin's playoff. After the playoffs' semifinals round on New Year's Day garnered 28 million viewers with a roughly 15 rating, it's probably safe to say last night's audience exceeded 33 million households. Advertisers were charged up to $1 million per 30-second spot during the contest (which saw Ohio State beat Oregon, 42-20). You can expect that ad rate to go up considerably for next year's grand finale.” http://bit.ly/14WKZ8M

2. WOULD YOU GET MARRIED IN A STARBUCKS?: Celebrating with cake pops and lattes, more couples are choosing Starbucks as a wedding venue. The Daily Mail: “The popular coffee chain, which has more than 12,000 locations around the country, has seen a huge increase in the number of patrons wanting to tie the knot in-store—with many choosing to document their coffee-fueled ceremonies on Instagram, using the hashtag #StarbucksWedding.” http://dailym.ai/1wZock1

3. ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL CO-FOUNDER FOUND DEAD: The co-founder of the massively popular Ultra Music Festival, Alex Omes, 43, died Monday. Authorities have not released a cause of death. Miami New Times: “Omes' greatest legacy was the creation of Ultra in 1999 with then-partner Russell Faibisch. The festival would go on to become one of the largest dance music events in North America. And it even eventually eclipsed Winter Music Conference, which had been the reason so many DJs and dance acts came to Miami in March in the first place.” http://bit.ly/1sv969h

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  The Boston Marriott Burlington has completed a multimillion-dollar renovation. New features include the “Greatroom,” the brand's reinvented lobby space, that’s suited for casual meetings.

CHICAGO:  Lexus has signed on as the presenting sponsor for this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards, which will take place at the Lyric Opera on May 4.

The Chicago Polar Plunge will return to the city's lakefront on March 1. Last year, the event raised more than $1 million for the athletes of Special Olympics Chicago.

LAS VEGAS:  Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will host a 25th anniversary reception at VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub on January 14.

Maverick Helicopters will offer V.I.P. helicopter transfers to Las Vegas Motor Speedway from March 6-8 during Nascar weekend.

LOS ANGELES:  The Essence Black Women in Music event is slated for Avalon Hollywood on February 5.

The new restaurant Odys & Penelope from Karen and Quinn Hatfield opened on Monday with 80 seats on La Brea.

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The fourth annual “South Beach Battioke,” a charity karaoke event hosted by former Miami Heat player Shane Battier, is slated for March 3 at the Fillmore Theatre in Miami Beach. Last year’s event drew about 600 people and raised more than $300,000 dollars.

The events firm Atomic has opened a rentals warehouse in Miami to serve the southeast United States.

NEW YORK:  Actor and civil rights leader Harry Belafonte will speak at the opening reception Thursday for the exhibit "Freedom Journey 1965: Photographs of the Selma to Montgomery March by Stephen Somerstein" at the New-York Historical Society.

Martha Stewart's Wedding Party, produced by Claudia Hanlin of the Wedding Library, is January 25 at Gotham Hall.

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

SAN FRANCISCO:  Drone World Expo, an event for commercial drone technologies and applications, is November 17-18 at the San Jose Convention Center.

TORONTO:  Oliver & Bonacini has acquired event venue the Carlu. The transition of the Carlu management to the catering firm will take place on March 2, and all existing catering and venue contracts will remain in place.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will deliver the government keynote address January 22 during the Washington Auto Show’s public policy preview days.

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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.

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