GLOBAL: According to Business Events Australia, the country has been undergoing unprecedented infrastructure developments, meaning that Australian destinations can not only meet demand now, but also in the future. Since January 2020, almost 200 new hotels have opened across Australia, adding approximately 19,000 rooms to the country’s portfolio, enhancing the options available for consideration by business event planners. Key 2024 openings include a Marriott in South Australia, Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, and a TFE Hotels property in Sydney.
CHICAGO: The Field Museum's 2023 Women in Science Luncheon raised nearly $325,000 in support of STEM opportunities for women in science and was chaired by Women’s Board members Carrie Donaldson and Brunetta Matthews. The Women's Board welcomed Karen Oberhauser, Ph.D., as the keynote speaker. Oberhauser—the founder of a community science initiative that has monitored monarch butterflies at more than 1,000 sites across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—addressed an audience of 350 Field Museum scientists, STEM leaders, civic leaders, Chicago Public School high school students, and community partners. Proceeds from the Women in Science Luncheon underwrite opportunities for women aspiring to STEM careers.
MEMPHIS, TENN.: Memphis-based Mahaffey Event & Tent Rentals has recently acquired Holliday Events. This purchase will enable Mahaffey to double its specialty inventory to serve customers in Memphis and throughout the mid-South. Per the terms of the acquisition, Holliday Events’ rental inventory was transitioned to the Mahaffey catalog, and Hayley Carpenter joined Mahaffey as creative services supervisor. She handles custom production requests, including print and signage for special events, as well as fabricating decor and props on an as-needed basis.
MIAMI: Returning to the Mana Wynwood Convention Center Oct. 20-21, Miami’s III Points Festival has revealed its 2023 lineup. Headliners include Iggy Pop, Fred Again.., Skrillex, Grimes, Black Coffee, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. This year's festival aims to be a celebration of all that III Points has built over the past decade and a glimpse into what the future holds.
ORLANDO, FLA.: Lake Nona Wave Hotel—known as a leading technologically advanced hotel—has teamed up with Verse Orlando, dubbed the world's first holographic theater, to put on the exhibit “Art of the Future,” an augmented reality experience taking place in the hotel’s 50,000-square-foot Sculpture Garden. The new experience provides a stunning backdrop for corporate groups and event bookings, offering a unique opportunity for team building and creative inspiration. The exhibit combines the beauty of the Sculpture Garden—home to eight sculptures from one of the world’s largest private art collections—with AR technology, the HoloLens 2, to create a showcase of AR holographic sculptures.