1. N.F.L. MOVES DRAFT TO CHICAGO: Next year’s N.F.L. player selection draft will move from New York City to Chicago, where it was last held in 1964. A scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall prompted the league to look for a new home at other venues in New York or get a fresh start in Chicago or Los Angeles. Intense lobbying from Mayor Rahm Emanuel and ideas for new programming sold commissioner Roger Goodell on Chicago. Chicago Tribune: “The difference-maker in Chicago winning the event was Emanuel’s pitch to create a fan festival in Grant Park, a component that previously has not been featured in NFL drafts, a source said. That proved to be the ‘major selling point’ that won Chicago the event, said the source, who added that Goodell also found Chicago’s central location and rabid football fan base as major pluses.” http://trib.in/YVY4fx
2. REPORT SUGGESTS SXSW BAN UNOFFICIAL EVENTS: A report commissioned by South by Southwest to help festival organizers chart its future suggests some radical changes: frisking attendees at the main grounds and getting legal permission to create a “clean zone” that bans unofficial events and sponsor activations from certain parts of the city. The report even says the festival could move from Austin if changes aren’t made. Texas Monthly: “SXSW gets the credit when an unsanctioned event makes international headlines because, say, Kanye West shows up. It also gets the blame if somebody gets trampled to death in the rush to get inside the venue. It makes sense that the SXSW organization wants to take more control of the SXSW Week, and the fact that it's considering to move—most likely an empty threat, given that the organization's SXSW V2V in Las Vegas is struggling, and the NXNW event in Portland collapsed in 2001—suggests that they're willing to leverage whatever they can to get there.” http://bit.ly/1r1N4Dr
3. THE RISE OF THE NEW SOCIAL CLUB: Creating the right mix of guests at private events—from networking dinners to Oscar parties—is a growing business of niche planners who are creating their own social clubs. The New York Times: “In an era where people flock to Facebook to find friends or communicate solely via text, a growing niche of entrepreneurs is building businesses that help people meet the old-fashioned way: in person. As digital connections have blossomed, so too has a sense of loneliness among some users. … These are not dating clubs and meet-up groups or campy networking seminars. Some generate revenue through sponsorships, others are hired by companies seeking to fill a room or table with interesting guests. All seem to be connected by the charisma of the entrepreneurs who run them.” http://nyti.ms/1rI96yR
* LOCAL NEWS *
CHICAGO: Unicef's Chicago Humanitarian Awards Luncheon will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago's Grand Ballroom on October 17. The event will honor Francie Comer and Sue Duncan.
LAS VEGAS: PR Newswire: "MGM Resorts International and AEG today announced that they have finalized a $200 million bank facility to fund the development and construction of a new 20,000-seat arena. Located on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip, between New York-New York and Monte Carlo resorts, the new $375 million privately funded world-class arena is currently under construction. The Las Vegas Arena is scheduled to debut in the spring of 2016.” http://prn.to/ZvJoo5
Chef Kim Canteenwalla and Elizabeth Blau have announced their fine-dining concept Andiron Steak & Sea is slated to open in the spring at Downtown Summerlin.
LOS ANGELES: The first iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina concert event is November 22 at the Forum.
For Breast Cancer Awareness month, Caruso Affiliated’s shopping centers the Grove and the Americana at Brand will switch to pink water in fountains, pink flowers throughout the properties, and an array of other pink initiatives.
The third annual Australians in Film gala is October 26 at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows.
Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Galleria’s eighth annual Men of Style Shopping Night is December 4; WSVN morning anchor Diana Diaz will host. The centerpiece is a charity fashion show with looks from Dillard’s and Macy’s.
NEW YORK: The Tri-State Food Expo Culinary Competition will pit one chef from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut in front of a live audience and celebrity judges October 27 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. The competitors are Bill Dorrler of Altamarea Group, Peter Morris of Langosta Lounge, and Jeffrey Lizotte of ON20, respectively.
Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Union Market is continuing its drive-in series this fall, staring with an outdoor screening of the 2013 Disney film Monsters University on October 10 and ending October 31 with a "people's choice" Halloween film that the public can vote for on Facebook and Twitter. The market's 40 vendors will open for service during the films, and DC Rollergirls will deliver fare to cars.
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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.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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