March 1, 2017: Lady Gaga to Replace Beyoncé as Coachella Headliner, Entertainment Studios Show Support for L.A. 2024 Olympic Bid, CNN to Bring Journalism Students to Correspondents' Dinner

1. LADY GAGA TO REPLACE BEYONCE AS COACHELLA HEADLINER: Lady Gaga will replace Beyoncé as the Coachella headliner for both weekends. Billboard: "Gaga will fill in for Beyoncé on consecutive Saturday nights (April 15 and  22) at Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif. Officials with festival organizers Goldenvoice and AEG Live are finalizing plans to bring Gaga's huge stage production to Coachella and will make the announcement in the coming days, say sources. The high-profile replacement comes just five days after representatives for Beyoncé informed AEG's Goldenvoice that the 'Formation' singer would not be performing at North America's highest-grossing annual festival based on her doctor's advice; Beyoncé could have been in the third trimester of her pregnancy during the double-weekend billing. Beyoncé will instead perform at Coachella in 2018. Lady Gaga will add the double Coachella slot to her already busy 2017 tour schedule, announced shortly after her critically acclaimed performance at Super Bowl LI in Houston. It was important to Coachella organizers that a female performer replace Beyoncé, insiders tell Billboard, making Gaga the first woman to headline Coachella since Björk in 2007." http://bit.ly/2mqliKX

2. ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS SHOW SUPPORT FOR L.A. 2024 OLYMPIC BID: Studios including Warner Bros., Disney, and NBCUniversal have announced support for Los Angeles's 2024 Olympic bid. The Hollywood Reporter: "As a part of the campaign, the Olympic Channel, which is run by the the IOC, will partner with Hollywood creative talent on innovative sports programming. And the LA 2024 Arts Festival will take place, celebrating the role of Hollywood and Los Angeles in shaping the film industry. Should Los Angeles get the chance to host the Olympics and Paralympic Games, LA 2024 has plans to use some of L.A.'s trademark Hollywood magic to help constrict the opening and closing ceremonies. 'L.A. is the creative capital of the United States. It is a city where technology, entertainment and new media meet and create globally relevant, captivating content,' said Disney head Bob Iger. 'That is what makes L.A. such an exciting environment to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.' Added Universal's Ron Meyer: 'With the city’s creative talent and imaginative storytellers, L.A. can bring excitement to the Olympic movement and inspire future generations. Our diverse city is the perfect setting for a global audience to experience the Summer Games.'" http://bit.ly/2lQoEW2

3. CNN TO BRING JOURNALISM STUDENTS TO CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER: Instead of bringing the usual well-known politicians to the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, CNN is bringing journalism students to the annual event in April. The Hill: "'Once again, our employees—on camera and behind the scenes—will attend the association's annual dinner on April 29,' a statement from CNN Communications reads on Twitter. 'This year, our guests will be journalism students.' 'We feel there is no better way to underscore our commitment to the health and longevity of a free press than to celebrate its future,' the statement continues. 'We stand with the WHCA 100 percent and look forward to being a part of an evening dedicated to funding scholarships and honoring great journalism.' Vanity Fair and The New Yorker magazine announced in January they plan boycott the annual event at the Washington Hilton, but no other major publications or outlets have followed suit. In the past, media outlets have invited celebrities to sit at their tables, alongside lawmakers and other Washington figures. President Trump said Sunday he will not be attending the event this year, marking the first time in 36 years a sitting president has not participated." http://bit.ly/2mHFzHQ

* LOCAL NEWS *

AUSTIN:  A Twin Peaks-inspired pop-up diner will come to Rainey Street March 16-17 for SXSW. Eater: http://bit.ly/2lQp3rj

CHICAGO:  The Chicago Cubs plan to use the upcoming Cubs Plaza for daily events. DNA Info: http://dnain.fo/2lvMEuZ

EL PASO, TEXAS:  The seventh annual Neon Desert Music Festival will take place May 27-28 over 15 city blocks downtown. Headliners include Harwell, Migos, and Foster the People.

LAS VEGAS:  The Las Vegas Firefighters Benefit Association will host its 12th annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration & Firefighter Challenge in Downtown Las Vegas on March 17.

LOS ANGELES:  This year's Pasadena Showcase House of Design will take place April 23-May 21 at the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts.

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

NEW YORK:  Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts will host its 10th annual National Grid Earth Day Celebration on April 29 on the plaza outside of the Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College.

Metropolitan Museum of Art director and chief executive Thomas P. Campbell has resigned. The New York Times: http://nyti.ms/2mK3FSk

Ballet Hispánico's Carnaval Gala will take place May 15 at the Plaza Hotel. The event will honor actress Rita Moreno and Pinnacle Group chairman and C.E.O. Nina Vaca.

Hugo Neu and JPO Concepts have opened Craneway Loft and Rooftop, a versatile event space on the top floor of Building 78 at Kearny Point in Jersey City. The venue includes a 3,000-square-foot indoor loft-style space and a 5,000-square-foot outdoor rooftop.

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

ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA:  Groundbreaking for the second phase of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is planned for March 6. The project will add a third theater that will open in summer 2020 and have 1,700 seats. Orlando Sentinel: http://bit.ly/2m8tQp3

PHILADELPHIA:  The N.F.L. Draft Experience Presented by Dannon Oikos Triple Zero will take place April 27-29 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Press release: http://bit.ly/2m7oUR5

SAN DIEGO:  Fund-raising social platform JustGiving has announced a three-year partnership with the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, bringing social fund-raising expertise to the running series.

TORONTO:  Royal Ontario Museum's Big Blue March Break will take place March 11-19. Focused on oceans, the event will include virtual-reality experiences, theater performances, collaborative art projects, and the whale exhibition Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Marketing Design Group has launched a partnership with Feathr, an audience data and personalization software provider for the event industry. The partnership will make Feathr's data platform available to trade show and conference clients.

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

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

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

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

Feed the Sheet: [email protected]

Subscribe: www.bizbash.com/bizbashdaily

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]