1. GAMERS' CHOICE AWARDS SUED FOR FRAUD: A producer of the latest iteration of the Gamers’ Choice Awards is suing the co-creator, alleging fraud and broken promises. The video game ceremony aired on CBS in December. Variety: “Victor Borachuk filed suit against Michael Burg, who’s previous award show creations include the Teen Choice Awards, the Southern Sports Awards, and the Kid’s Choice Awards, on December 21 in California State Court. Borachuk is alleging, among other charges, breach of contract, fraud violations of California state law, and misappropriation of likeness. In seeking payment of money owed, earnings from three shows and punitive damages, Borachuk argues that four companies run by Burg are essentially just one big company with commingled funds and assets. Burg did not respond to Variety’s request for comment, but in an interview with Variety last month said he came up with the Gamer’s Choice Awards after being inspired by a rock and roll promoter and denied that Vorachuk was a co-creator. He did acknowledge that Vorachuk and his production company, JupiterReturn, worked on the show. Shortly after reporting began on the story, Burg contacted Variety to say he could no longer talk about Borachuk or his involvement with the show because of legal proceedings. But in the initial interview, Burg said that Borachuk was a great producer. The lawsuit comes after Borachuk and Burg worked together for three years through a number of Burg’s companies, according to the lawsuit. Over those years, Borachuk says he helped create and produce three shows and was paid little to nothing of the money owed.” https://bit.ly/2TFwaBl
2. ST. PATRICK'S ORGANIZATION WILL WELCOME WOMEN AT GALA FOR FIRST TIME: The #MeToo movement has affected many industries and events, one of the latest being the annual fund-raising dinner for the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in the City of New York. For the first time, the group will allow women to attend the dinner at the New York Hilton in March. The New York Times: “It has taken only 235 years. And it has only been 30 years since a woman led the St. Patrick’s Day parade as grand marshal for the first time. The Friendly Sons in New York was started to assist Irish immigrants, and the organization has remained fraternal in the three decades since the city pressured other all-male private clubs to admit women. The Friendly Sons in New York is not officially connected with the St. Patrick’s Day parade on Fifth Avenue. The parade counts 182 affiliated associations, but not the Friendly Sons, which has participated in the St. Patrick’s Day parade only once as an organization (when soldiers from World War I were returning to civilian life 100 years ago.) The president of the Friendly Sons in New York, Kevin J. Rooney, announced the change in a recent letter to members. He did not respond to telephone calls or an email message last week. But in the letter, he framed the decision as an expansion of the group’s reach. He also noted that as Irish immigration had declined in recent decades, the Friendly Sons had widened ‘its reach to assist all people, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.’” https://nyti.ms/2Qxguy5
3. J.P. MORGAN HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON AMAZON AND TRUMP: The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the healthcare industry's largest annual event, kicked off in San Francisco on Monday. Themes of the conference will revolve around President Trump's tweets, Amazon, and change and mergers in the industry. CNBC: "More than 485 companies from biotech, pharma, insurance, hospital systems, and more will give investor presentations to more than 9,000 attendees at the Westin St. Francis hotel this year. Even more consulting companies and law firms will flood hotel suites and conference rooms near Union Square to host meetings that executives compare to speed dating for investors. In its 37th year, the four-day conference has helped shape the agenda for both the industry and individual companies for the year. Some executives share their financial forecasts or milestones investors can expect from drug pipelines. Others touch on themes for the industry, with tax reform being a major focus last year. Drug prices will likely be a major topic this year. As president-elect two years ago, Donald Trump made his now-infamous comment during the conference that drug companies were 'getting away with murder.' Since then, he has installed Scott Gottlieb as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and Alex Azar as Health and Human Services secretary with instructions to lower drug prices. (Gottlieb is presenting his keynote speech Tuesday via teleconference from Washington due to the federal government shutdown.) Health care's intersection with technology will also likely be a major theme throughout the week. One name stoking both excitement and fear: Amazon. The company's worried Wall Street for some time now. But Amazon's entry into the industry is no longer hypothetical with its purchase of online pharmacy PillPack last year." https://cnb.cx/2LVauhK
* LOCAL NEWS *
AUSTIN: Austin Monitor: “The Austin Center for Events has set a hard deadline of February 8 for applications for special events scheduled to take place during spring festival season, or the 10 days in March that span the South by Southwest festival. Setting that date—which was announced December 27—roughly a month ahead of the festival is a change in policy from recent years when the city would periodically announce that ACE and associated city departments were getting close to capacity for handling applications and plans for special events. With festival season typically seeing more than 200 special events taking place mostly downtown and in East Austin, the previous rolling deadline would prevent some events that were in the planning stages from taking place during a time when more than 200,000 visitors typically come to Austin.”
LOS ANGELES: The 16th edition of TheFitExpo Los Angeles, presented by Subway Restaurants, will take place January 26-27 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event will have free competitions and more than 700 exhibits with fitness, nutrition, strength, and wellness products.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary Art Fair, presented by Art Miami, will take place January 10-13 at the Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary Pavilion.
Miami’s Southern Cross Astronomical Society will host its 35th annual Winter Star Party February 4-10 in the Lower Florida Keys. The event will bring 650 astronomers to Scout Key to view southern constellations and other celestial objects.
NEW YORK: Wish Upon a Wedding, the annual benefit for Nuit Marocaines, will take place February 4 at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers.
The ninth annual Governors Ball music festival has announced its lineup, which includes the Strokes, Florence and the Machine, Tyler, the Creator, SZA, the 1975, and Kacey Musgraves. The festival will take place May 31-June 2 at Randall’s Island Park.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
TORONTO: This year’s Canadian International AutoShow will take place February 15-24 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles 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.
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