December 21, 2017: Trump SoHo Rebrands as the Dominick Hotel Overnight, Mar-a-Lago Jacks Up New Year’s Eve Party Ticket Prices, Miami Open Tennis Tournament Finds New Venue Home

1. TRUMP SOHO REBRANDS AS THE DOMINICK HOTEL OVERNIGHT: The Trump Soho hotel in Manhattan officially rebranded as the Dominick Hotel on Thursday night, following a string of Trump's properties that have rebranded after he was elected president. New York Daily News: "The Trump Organization, which licensed its name and managed the 46-story hotel and condo building once displayed for the world on 'The Apprentice,' cut ties with it in late November as former clients such as NBA teams looked elsewhere. 'Everything Trump was basically taken off today, even our Wi-Fi,' said Kevin Sinnot, a 28-year-old Australian guest, adding that robes and shower gels were also changed by room service on Wednesday. While Trump’s properties have suffered from their newfound infamy, Trump SoHo has drawn particular attention, however, for its ties to alleged money laundering from Russian and Kazakh oligarchs. Hopes for the project’s profits took a hit in 2007 after the past of one of Trump's partner in the deal, Felix Sater of development group Bayrock, emerged. Records show that Bayrock received millions for Trump Soho from an Icelandic bank popular with the Russian elite getting money out of their country, and that companies linked to Kazakh oligarchs Viktor Khrapunov and Mukhtar Ablyazov bought apartments worth more than $3 million there." http://nydn.us/2DpgxGK

2. MAR-A-LAGO JACKS UP NEW YEAR€'S EVE PARTY TICKET PRICES: President Trump’s South Florida club Mar-a-Lago has hiked up New Year’s Eve party ticket prices for members and guests. Politico: “Ticket prices for the annual Dec. 31 bash at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in South Florida are going up to $600 for dues-paying members and $750 for their guests, according to members of the private Palm Beach club. Last year’s tickets went for $525 for members and $575 for guests. The lavish party in the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom and the surrounding grounds has plenty of perks, including a red-carpet entrance, a multi-course meal, a popular cover band and the chance to meet celebrities — Sylvester Stallone and Fabio were there to welcome in 2017 — as well as the president himself. Last December, Trump staffers defended Mar-a-Lago selling tickets for the event at a time when Trump was still working on a plan to address ethics concerns associated with becoming president while owning a vast real estate, hotel, golf and branding enterprise. The 2017 event was a sellout, and one Mar-a-Lago member said this year’s party is nearly booked-up, too. Officials at the White House and the Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment about the 2018 New Year’s Eve party.” http://politi.co/2oWpcx7

3. MIAMI OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT FINDS NEW VENUE HOME: The Miami Open tennis tournament will move from Key Biscayne to Hard Rock Stadium in 2019. Miami Herald: “And though the scenery from the turnpike isn’t as picturesque as sailboats bobbing on turquoise water alongside the Rickenbacker Causeway, tournament officials promise the new site will “enhance every aspect” of the player and fan experience. With the move, the 32-year-old tennis tournament trades its lush, tropical island home for a much larger, fancier, state-of-the-art facility in Miami Gardens replete with more courts, double the parking, double the suites, plush amenities for the players, and easier access for fans in Broward and Palm Beach counties. … The new site will have 30 courts — 29 of them permanent — compared to 21 at the Crandon Park Tennis Center. Practice courts double from nine to 18 and will include 5,700 seats for fan viewing. Lighted courts increase from six to 20. A 14,000-seat Center Court, for marquee matches, will be inside the stadium, atop the field, with screens covering the unused stands. A 5,000-seat permanent Grandstand court will include player lounge, locker rooms and a gym. There will be 50 suites — 26 permanent and 24 temporary — compared to 26 at Crandon. Players will be pampered with 30,000 square feet of dining space (more than triple what they have now), a 10,000 square-foot gym (more than triple the size of the current space), 17,000 square feet of locker space and triple the lounge space.” http://hrld.us/2p1zo7G

* LOCAL NEWS *

CHICAGO:  The 11th annual Chicago Restaurant Week will take place January 26-February 8. The two-week dining event will kick off with the First Bites Bash at Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier. 

LOS ANGELES:  Beverage industry conference BevCon will take place August 19-21 at the Line Hotel in Koreatown. 

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Tex-Mex restaurant concept Chuy’s will open its first South Florida location in Doral in February. 

NEW YORK:  The second edition of Anime NYC, an anime convention presented by LeftField Media, will take place November 16-18 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. 

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  The Orlando Magic basketball team has announced it will launch the inaugural Orlando Magic Wine Festival and Auction, which benefits the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation. The fund-raising event will debut in March 2019. Orlando Magic: http://on.nba.com/2BFWEuC

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The National Children’s Museum will reopen in the Reagan Building in March 2019. Washingtonian: http://bit.ly/2CMXvc7

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 Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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

Feed the Sheet: [email protected]

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]