BIZBASH CALL SHEET — #171 — Thursday, 01.05.12
Compiled today by Chad Kaydo and Jana Schiowitz in New York
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* INCOMING *
1. REPLACING JAVITS?: On Wednesday New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed building the country’s largest convention center at a racetrack-casino in Queens. A new 3.8-million-square-foot exhibition hall and hotel at the Aqueduct racetrack in Jamaica, Queens, would replace the Javits Center in Manhattan, freeing its land for other uses. The New York Times: “Still, the question is whether the Queens project makes sense, experts said. The convention business is highly competitive, and attendance is falling around the country. Most convention centers are run by public authorities at a deficit.”
2. DIGITAL MARKETING TIPS: Jonathan Gardner, director of communications at Vibrant Media lists the five best practices for digital marketers in 2012. Topping the list is "word ownership." A lesson: “Marketers can now look more closely at consumer behavior to get more mileage out of campaigns. As technology gives us a clearer view of reader engagement and retention, we see that all content is not created equal, and that despite the recent increase in content volume, quality is what drives results.” Mashable:
3. A MARSHMALLOW MOMENT: This just in from The New York Times: “Marshmallows are the new cupcakes,” says Maria D’Urso of Three Tarts Bakery in New York. S.S. Fair of The Times's T magazine agrees: "They’re having a moment in retro-land, and better yet, they have no redeeming nutritional value whatsoever. But they’re richly wintery and so yummy waiting to amuse your bouche in a mug of hot chocolate." Bonus: Five places to get them in New York, and one online.
4. ONLINE TRAVEL BOOKING GETS SOCIAL: Sites like Expedia are looking for ways to drive the travel marketplace using social networks. "A slew of tech startups such as Trippy, Gogobot, Gtrot, and FlyMuch are hoping to change that by using Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and other social-networking data as a way to gather information, share reviews, and plan trips. The idea is that as you plan travel, you’ll be more comfortable about booking a particular hotel or resort—or choosing a particular Caribbean island or rain forest hike—if one of your friends has been there." Businessweek:
5. LYNCH ON SERVICE: Boston star chef Barbara Lynch talks to The New York Times about going from South Boston housing projects to owning nine culinary businesses with 250 employees and $19 million in annual revenue: “My management team keeps nightly logs of everything going on in each entity—who cut their finger, what table we screwed up on, which meat wasn’t hot enough—so I read those first thing every day.”
Lynch’s profile in our 2011 list of the 68 most innovative people in events:
6. 2012’S NEW HOTELS: The Street names some of this year's slated openings, both domestically and abroad, including the Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg and Joie de Vivre Hospitality's Hotel Lincoln in Chicago.
* INDUSTRY ORG NEWS *
The International Special Events Society has partnered with Eved, a marketplace platform connecting buyers, sellers, and venues in the meeting and events industry. ISES members will have full access to a global directory of event suppliers and vendors, management services, and other tools.
* LOCAL NEWS *
COAST TO COAST: Magic Kingdom Park in Florida and Disneyland Park in California will both stay open for 24 hours straight to celebrate Leap Year. The "One More Disney Day" celebrations will take place from 6 a.m. February 29 through 6 a.m. March 1.
BOSTON: The Fairmont Copley Plaza celebrates its centennial anniversary this year, and will host 100 days of specials and events leading up to the big August 19 celebration. Other institutions turning 100 in 2012—including the Skating Club of Boston—will host anniversary bashes at the hotel this year. Boston.com:
CHICAGO: Local band Maggie Speaks wrote a holiday tribute song for event planners. Every time someone tweeted the video of the song, the band donated $5 to the Search Foundation.
Eved, the online marketplace for the meeting and event industry, announced it has raised $9.5 million in a series B round led by New World Ventures and MK Capital.
Lillie's Q will become a Mexican restaurant for the evening of January 24, when the barbecue joint serves what it's calling a "pop-up dinner" prepared by sous chef Jose Landa. The six-course menu includes shrimp chile rellenos and chorizo quesadillas.
LAS VEGAS: New York Times: "Wireless carriers will have a lower profile than in previous years at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show, one of the largest technology conventions in the world."
In other C.E.S. news: The show announced a SuperSession lineup as part of the International CES conference program. It will include technology and government leaders, including Best Buy C.E.O. Brian Dunn and Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski.
Las Vegas Sun: "Hotel mogul Sam Nazarian has revealed that he will make over the shuttered Sahara hotel casino he bought on the Strip and will reopen it 'sooner than later.' At a preview of his new Hyde Bellagio last week, Sam said that the Sahara will get a complete redo and be rebranded as SLS Vegas."
LOS ANGELES: Alison Kennedy PR hired Joe Moller Events to produce the L'Oreal beauty suite at the Four Seasons for the Golden Globes. Moller will also design and produce the L'Oreal space in the gifting lounge.
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: Miami Today: "The beginning of 2012 will see a number of conventions—some returning and some rotating sites—that will increase the economic impact on Miami."
The National Association of Television Program Executives is hosting its market and conference January 23-25 at the Fontainebleau Resort.
The Sun Sentinel lists this year's travel trends for South Florida, including increased business travel and healthier food options at hotels and resorts:
NEW YORK: Canard is catering the Winter Antiques Show's opening night at the Park Avenue Armory January 19. The "Hudson Valley Bounty" menu will feature roasted breast of Northshire Farm turkey on small open-faced pumpkin muffins with apple-cranberry chutney.
Fingerprint Communications is looking for an account executive for its fashion and beauty division and, an account manager for its hospitality (restaurants, hotels, and nightlife) division. Send resumes to [email protected].
Jessica Delguercio began at Alison Brod PR Tuesday as senior account executive in the lifestyle division. Previously, Delguercio was a freelancer and had worked at J Public Relations and M. Silver Associates.
ORLANDO: The grand opening of Senor Frog's on International Drive is Saturday. The 14,000-square-foot restaurant and bar will be the first Florida location for the Mexico-based chain.
TORONTO: Stock Restaurant has released a teaser video of the kitchen staff at work. The restaurant will open January 31 in the Trump International Hotel and Tower.
WASHINGTON: The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows is stopping at the Washington Convention Center January 13-15 during its 12-city tour. Sport and dirt bikes, cruisers, scooters, and other two-wheeled rides will be on display.
YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected].
With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, Carla Warrilow in Toronto, and Jana Schiowitz and Anna Sekula in New York.
BizBash Call Sheet is the must-read daily digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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