December 17, 2015: Larry Wilmore to Headline White House Correspondents' Dinner, Spotify Now Offering Playlists for Events, Democratic Debate Will Stream Live on YouTube

1. LARRY WILMORE TO HEADLINE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER: Comedian Larry Wilmore, star of Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show, will entertain President Barack Obama and a room full of journalists, politicians, and celebrity guests at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner on April 30 in Washington. MSNBC: “Larry’s edgy, even provocative, brand of humor means he’s certainly up to the task of skewering politicians of all ideological stripes, and we don’t expect the nation’s news media to escape unscathed, either,” said the association’s president, Wall Street Journal reporter Carol Lee, in a statement. “We are thrilled that Larry has accepted our invitation to be the featured comedian at our annual dinner, which will be the last during the Obama White House.” http://on.msnbc.com/1NqkNFk

2. SPOTIFY NOW OFFERING PLAYLISTS FOR EVENTS: In a new service for event planners, Spotify has launched Spotify Party to provide music playlists that match the tone of a gathering. The service could potentially replace a DJ. TechCrunch: “Spotify Party is based on the idea that there are different moods to different kinds of parties. There are sets for dinner parties, dancing, and just winding down, Spotify says. I’m not sure if there is a set yet that says ‘Okay people, time to go home.’ (There really should be.) The playlists on Spotify Party are also not like ordinary playlists: They are created to blend songs seamlessly from one to the other, and for the user, the ability to change the tempo and mood is fairly straightforward by way of a “mood tuner” that will gradually change up the pace. There is also a degree of autonomy here: Users can also add or mix around the order of songs to their own liking if they feel like playing DJ.” http://tcrn.ch/1O5PZac

3. DEMOCRATIC DEBATE WILL STREAM LIVE ON YOUTUBE: NBC will partner with YouTube to live-stream the final Democratic presidential debate, a first for the online video channel. The event takes place January 17 in Charleston, South Carolina. The Hollywood Reporter: “Past debates have also featured live-streams, but this will be the first time that YouTube has joined in. … In addition to questions from moderator Lester Holt, the debate also will feature questions taken directly from the YouTube community.” http://bit.ly/1lQzoBe


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

Bloomberg BNA's annual nationwide holiday practices survey has found that this year, four out of five companies—or 80 percent—will host a holiday celebration for employees. Sixty-one percent of those companies will host a company-wide event and one-third of those companies will also hold department-level events. The survey also found that 66 percent will provide alcohol, 58 percent will have an open bar, and 90 percent will have alcohol safeguards.

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Tom’s BaoBao will launch a new food truck in 2016. The truck will offer bao (steamed, stuffed buns) for meetings and events.

CHICAGO:  In Greektown, the Parthenon will transform into Aviva in early 2016. The bar and lounge will have 80 seats, and will serve food with Spanish, French, Italian, North African, and Mediterranean flavors. Later in the year, staffers plan to open a private event area with a stage.

DENVER:  The Rocky Mountain Gift Show will take place February 26-29 at Denver Mart.

LAS VEGAS:  Aria Resort & Casino announced a major expansion of its LEED Gold-certified convention center. The $154-million project will add 200,000 square feet of meeting space across four stories including a glass-enclosed venue with views of the Park and new Las Vegas Arena. Construction is scheduled to begin in May 2016 with anticipated completion in February 2018.

Fondue restaurant F. Pigalle, a new project from Echo & Rig's Sam Marvin and Fine Entertainment's Jeffrey Fine, is now open on Fremont Street. Inspired by Paris' red light district, the restaurant seats 75 inside and 45 at an outdoor bar area, and serves cheese, shrimp, and steak fondue. Eater: http://bit.ly/1Rpq83B

LOS ANGELES:  Security will be a major priority for the 2024 Olympic bid committee because of recent events including the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino and a threat that closed Los Angeles schools earlier this week. AFP: http://bit.ly/1k3wTcJ

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

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  The Miami International Boat Show was approved for a two-year permit to have its event at the Miami Marine Stadium Park. Show owner the National Marine Manufacturers Association had wanted a three-year permit. Trade Only Today: http://bit.ly/1k4s5UE

Tideline Ocean Resort & Spa, a Kimpton Hotel, in Palm Beach has announced a new general manager, Awet Sium.

NEW YORK:  Stay Classy New York, a Will Ferrell-theme bar on Rivington Street in Manhattan, will host an Elf-inspired party on Saturday. The event will have a costume contest, cocktails inspired by the movie, and a Toys for Tots drive.

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

PHILADELPHIA:  The Logan Philadelphia, a new hotel from Curio-A Collection by Hilton, is now open in Logan Square. The 391-room hotel has 12,700 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space—including a ballroom that can hold as many as 500—as well as 12 meeting and event spaces ranging from boardrooms to rooftop venues.

SAN FRANCISCO:  Fogo de Chao has opened a new steak house in the SoMa district.

TORONTO:  The inaugural Something Strange Circus Sideshow Festival will take place January 23-25 at the Mod Club. The event will feature a variety of Toronto and international acts such as contortionists, sword swallowers, and burlesque performers. blogTO: http://bit.ly/1P7HKh5

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  SnowSports Industries America announced changes to the timing and format of its SIA Snow Show. Beginning in 2017, the show moves to early December from its current late January/early February timeframe in order to better align with the industry’s buying season. The show will continue to be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

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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, Anna Sekula, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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

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