1. CHICAGO MARRIOTT HOTEL WORKER STRIKE MOVES TOWARD RESOLUTION WITH CONTRACT: Marriott International hotel workers on strike in Chicago have approved a contract that could lead to the resolution of the walkout, which has been going on for two weeks at more than two dozen hotels. Chicago Tribune: "'Marriott signing just puts a lot of pressure on the other companies,' Unite Here Local 1 union organizer Jairo Nunez yelled through a bullhorn outside the Hyatt Regency on Thursday, as picketing workers paused their banging and chanting to cheer the news. 'This is proof that we can do it, so we have to keep fighting.' Marriott did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Unite Here Local 1 spokesman Elliott Mallen said there would be no official comment until a statement is released. But the union tweeted Thursday evening that the contract had been ratified at the Marriott hotels and the Hotel Blake. Thousands of housekeepers, doormen, cooks, and other hotel employees have been on strike since September 7 to demand year-round health insurance and other improvements to work conditions as they negotiate new contracts. About 6,000 workers across 30 downtown hotels are covered by contracts that expired at the end of August. Twenty-six hotels have experienced a work stoppage, including six hotels under the Marriott umbrella: JW Marriott, Sheraton Grand, Westin River North, Westin Michigan Avenue, W Chicago Lakeshore, and W Chicago City Center. After picketing around-the-clock for the past two weeks, there were no signs of protesters in front of several of the Marriott hotels Thursday. For workers continuing to picket outside of other hotels, word of the tentative agreement with Marriott was an encouraging shot in the arm." https://trib.in/2PVB1ft
2. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FIRST-EVER ADULT SWIM FESTIVAL: Cartoon Network's Adult Swim is holding its first-ever festival October 5-7. The late-night program will present three days of comedy, music, and activations, presenting themes after shows like Rick and Morty at Row D.T.L.A. The festival plans to seamlessly weave in musical and comedy acts. Billboard: "'This is our first time doing a festival and we really wanted it to represent how Adult Swim feels on the air. The fact is, music and comedy are both the things that people identify with Adult Swim,' SVP/creative director for Adult Swim On-Air, Jason DeMarco, tells Billboard. The Adult Swim Festival lineup weaves together comedy and musical headliners with top spots going to Broad City’s Hannibal Buress, hip-hop group Run The Jewels, standup comedian Jena Friedman, and rapper T-Pain. 'A lot of the bands that we work with are huge comedy fans and they are already kind of working together, whether it is through us or on their own. For us, it felt like we could do it in a more organic way than it has ever been done,' DeMarco adds. ... In addition to the two stages vacillating between comedy and music, the festival will feature curated experiences for Adult Swim fans. The Rick and Morty Musical Ricksperience, featuring a live 37-piece orchestra where, Ryan Elder, the composer behind Rick and Morty's music, will team up with a series of special guests to present fan-favorite tracks from the show played live in sync with an episode. The Meatwad Dome will be a roughly 10-minute ride where the Aqua Teen Hunger Force character takes fans through a candy world. Festivalgoers can step away from the stages to ride a giant hotdog like a mechanical bull or participate in the Dream Corp VR experience, which is a VR game based on show, Dream Corp, LLC. 'We want it to feel like a big fun carnival as opposed to just another giant music festival where you’re either eating or looking at music and that’s it,' DeMarco says. 'The lines are going to be blurrier than you would normally see at another festival which I think is perfectly on brand for Adult Swim.'" https://bit.ly/2xrw0EQ
3. LIFETIME TO DEBUT LIVE WEDDING REALITY SERIES: Lifetime plans to debut an eight-part reality event series, titled My Great Big Live Wedding with David Tutera. Slated to premiere in 2019, the series will be produced by Thinkfactory Media. Deadline: “In the series, eight inspirational couples will work with renowned wedding and event planner Tutera, to receive the wedding of their dreams. Each week, one new couple will share their emotional and heart-warming story live from a different city or town across the country. Dramatic reveals will culminate in the live broadcast of the wedding, brought to life by Tutera, Lifetime says. ‘We scoured the country to find the most amazing couples whose true stories of courage and survival against all odds define Real Love. We’re honored to celebrate these love stories with America,’ said Gena McCarthy, executive vice president and head of programing for Lifetime Unscripted and fyi. ‘David Tutera is a best-in-class talent who delivers dream events. We can’t wait to watch him make these deserving couples’ dreams come true.’ … Tutera is an award-winning celebrity wedding planner, fashion designer, lifestyle designer, entertaining expert, author, professional speaker, and television star. Honored by Life & Style Magazine as ‘Best Celebrity Wedding Planner,’ David’s client list includes celebrities, royalty, politicians, and socialites. Tutera has also hosted several hit television series, is a media go-to expert on weddings and celebrations, and is a regular expert on various talk shows, and a contributor to numerous magazines.” https://bit.ly/2PUREs2
INDUSTRY NEWS
Retail marketing and sales agency BDS Marketing has acquired New York-based experiential marketing agency MAG.
* LOCAL NEWS *
ATLANTA: Ponce City Market has partnered with Museum of Design Atlanta to host the “Design for Good: Architecture for Everyone” exhibition from September 23-January 20, 2019. The exhibition, which highlights stories about buildings designed and created for people who use them, will feature work from Mass Design Group, David Baker Architects, Marina Tabassum Architects, Studio Gang, and more.
DETROIT: The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau has appointed Andrea Cadotto and Sheila Neal to the newly created roles of associate directors of sales.
LONDON: Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will launch Kimpton Fitzroy London, its first U.K. property, in late October. The property will have nine meeting rooms, the largest of which can hold 400 people for receptions.
LOS ANGELES: Museé Magazine founder and editor in chief Andrea Blanch has curated the fifth annual Billboard Creative, a public art project that will be on view in the city throughout October. The project celebrates up-and-coming photographers and visual artists by featuring their work on 31 billboards around the city.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
NEW YORK: The Rink at Rockefeller Center will open for the winter season on October 8 with a ceremonial first skate, hosted by child skaters from Ice Theatre of New York and Figure Skating in Harlem.
CUE Art Foundation will hold its 15th Anniversary Cocktails and Benefit Auction November 14 at Rogue Space.
Nightlife industry veteran Pedro Zamora has opened Cantina 48. The Mexican restaurant and lounge, which is helmed by executive chef Saul Montiel, is the third hospitality venue at 605 West 48th Street, joining Stage 48 and Cantina Rooftop.
Porsche will celebrate its 70th anniversary and pay tribute to Max Hoffman at the brand’s second annual Drive To America event, taking place October 14 at Seversky Mansion in Old Westbury.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA: Red Lion Hotel Lake Buena Vista South has reopened following a 2.5-year, $20 million renovation. The hotel has 410 guest rooms, a heated outdoor pool and lazy river, and 1,120 square feet of event space. The hotel is owned and operated by Carter Hospitality.
TORONTO: Cannabis brand Canaca will hold a pancake breakfast and lumberjack log rolling show to celebrate the country’s legalization of marijuana on September 26 at Artscape Gibraltar Point on Toronto Island.
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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.
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