July 25, 2016: Olympic Village Issues Lead to Extensive Repairs, Comic-Con Offers Fans Diversity and Eased Security, Airbnb Conflict Heads to D.N.C.

1. OLYMPIC VILLAGE ISSUES LEAD TO EXTENSIVE REPAIRS: Leaking pipes and blocked toilets were just some of the concerns made public by Australia’s Olympic team about the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro. The team refused to move into the village until improvements have been made, which has led to days of extensive repairs. The Guardian: “Australian Olympic Committee staff had been due to move into the village on 21 July but have instead been living in nearby hotels. Kitty Chiller, the head of Australia’s delegation, said that for those coming in the next three days alternative accommodation has been arranged but she remained confident the problems would be solved by Wednesday. Hundreds of athletes arrived in Rio on Sunday and were due to move into the village, which is said to be the biggest ever at an Olympics. By the opening ceremony on 5 August, the majority of the expected10,000 athletes are due to be housed in the complex of 31 buildings. The Rio 2016 website said the facilities would include the latest creature comforts. ‘Athletes staying in the village will be treated like kings. They are, after all, the stars of the show,’ it says. Extra maintenance staff and more than 1,000 cleaners have been engaged to help fix the problems and clean the village. ‘We’re having plumbing problems, we’ve got leaking pipes,’ said Mike Tancred, the spokesman for the Australia team. ‘We’ve got electrical problems. We’ve got cleaning problems. We’ve got lighting problems in some of the stairwells. We did a stress test on Saturday, turned on the taps and flushed the toilets, and water came flooding down the walls.’ Chiller said the New Zealand and Great Britain teams had experienced similar problems, but officials from Team GB distanced themselves from the controversy and Rio officials said more than 200 athletes from other nations moved into the village on Sunday without complaint. The Italian team had experienced so many problems that it had contracted out its own renovations, the head of mission, Carlo Mornati, told Gazzetta dello Sport. The Dutch team is also said to have flown in its own technicians to get the buildings up to scratch.” http://bit.ly/2aaE1mJ

2. COMIC-CON OFFERS FANS DIVERSITY AND EASED SECURITY: Comic-Con International, which wrapped Sunday, gave fans its usual pop culture panels, brand new trailers, and interactive experiences. But two notable takeaways from this year’s convention were studios stepping up their diversity game and a surprising lack of visibly heightened security. The New York Times: “Marvel Studios started its Saturday session inside the San Diego Convention Center’s cavernous Hall H, which seats roughly 7,000 people, by bringing out Ryan Coogler, the director of the big-budget ‘Black Panther,’ and his four black leads: Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan and Danai Gurira. From there, Marvel moved on to ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ directed by the New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi and featuring Idris Elba and Tessa Thompson (‘Creed,’ ‘Dear White People’) in major roles. The Disney-owned superhero factory, which plans to unleash ‘Ragnarok’ in November 2017, ended by announcing that the Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson would play the lead in ‘Captain Marvel,’ which is planned for 2019 and will become the first Marvel movie anchored by a woman. … Aside from the clear push toward inclusion from entertainment companies—the Fox broadcast network came to promote its “Rocky Horror Picture Show” remake, which stars the transgender actress Laverne Cox in the showcase role—Comic-Con was notable this time around for what it did not have: visibly heightened security. The convention, which has never had a major safety incident, has long insisted that covert security efforts are enough, especially because organizers say the event tends to attract a good-natured crowd. Because of the increasing frequency of mass shootings and the recent truck attack in the South of France, some longtime attendees said they expected the event would follow theme parks, baseball stadiums and other public venues in walking people through metal detectors and checking every bag. But such measures were not taken. Comic-Con officials declined to comment on security planning, aside from noting that the event works closely with the San Diego Police Department.” http://nyti.ms/2a47Cwl

3. AIRBNB CONFLICT HEADS TO D.N.C.: Both pro- and anti-Airbnb campaigns will make their way to the Democratic National Convention this week, with attention-grabbing ads targeted toward Democratic delegates and Hillary Clinton. New York Daily News: “ShareBetter, a coalition of politicians, housing and tenant groups, and unions fighting the online home-sharing company, will run television, newspaper and digital ads that will highlight reports of racial discrimination by Airbnb hosts. An ad will run during prime convention viewing hours on national and local television stations in Philadelphia and New York. It will feature Quirtina Crittenden, who started the #AirbnbWhileBlack movement, addressing Clinton about how she's been refused rentals on Airbnb because of her race. A truck playing the video will be driving around the perimeter of the convention. There will also be two days of full-page ads in USA Today, which will be delivered to the hotels where delegates are staying, as well as digital content that will appear on social media and in the online political sections of national newspapers. Meanwhile, Airbnb has bought time to run ads recently unveiled in New York that uses hosts to tout the benefits of home-sharing and warn that a bill recently passed by the New York State Legislature to ban advertising of illegal units would harm those looking for additional ways to make ends meet to stay in the city. The company also plans to have a truck circling downtown Philadelphia playing the ads.” http://nydn.us/2ao5rYk


* INDUSTRY NEWS *

Marriott International and the National Basketball Association have announced a partnership extension that will make the global hotel company a partner of several league events, including N.B.A. House Rio and N.B.A. All-Star. Marriott International will also become an official partner of USA Basketball.

The Specialty Food Association has named Phillip M. Kafarakis as president. 

* LOCAL NEWS *

CHICAGO:  The 88th annual Lake County Fair will take place Wednesday through Saturday at the fairgrounds at Peterson and Midlothian roads in Grayslake.

LOS ANGELES:  The inaugural Uncorked: Derby Days wine festival will take place August 6 at the Culver Studios in Culver City. The event will feature more than 100 wines, food trucks, and a champagne bar. 

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

MADISON, WISCONSIN:  Home2 Suites by Hilton La Crosse has opened at 210 Jay Street in La Crosse. It's the 100th property for the Home2 brand. The 107-suite La Crosse hotel is owned by 210 Jay Street L.L.C. and managed by Aparium Hotel Group.

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Event producer Felix Pike has launched his new solo venture the Full Pike LLC, based in Miami. Pike is the owner and executive producer of the company, which will offer a variety of services including concept development, staging and event design, teambuilding, and music supervision. 

Stk Miami's downtown location is now accepting reservations. 

NEW YORK:  The Wildlife Conservation Society will host its 4th annual Sip for the Sea on September 15  at the Central Park Zoo.  The event benefits the New York Aquarium.

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Ninety restaurants will participate in Visit Orlando's Magical Dining Month, the most in the event's 11-year history. During the event, from August 29-October 2, the restaurants offer three-course dinners for $33 and one dollar form each meal is donated to a local charity, which this year will be the Russell Home for Atypical Children.

PHILADELPHIA:  The Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention is hosting "Philly Feast: United We Eat" today in Old City. The street fest features a variety of vendors including Baby Blues BBQ, Dos Hermanos Tacos, and Foolish Waffles. 

SAN FRANCISCO:  The 12th Annual Suisun City Art, Wine, and Chocolate Festival will take place October 1 at the Waterfront District. 

TORONTO:  Toronto Men's Fashion Week has partnered with the City of Toronto to host TOM' Beatlemania, a fashion presentation paying homage to the Beatles. The event will take place August 20 at Ryersons' Mattamy Athletic Centre. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International’s Washington, D.C., chapter will host its annual State of the Industry event August 18 at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel. Guest speakers will include executives from TravelClick, B.F. Saul Company, Duetto Research, and Destination DC.

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

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin and Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Carla Hay, Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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