| 1. M.L.B. GIVES TAMPA GO-AHEAD TO EXPLORE GAMES IN MONTREAL: Major League Baseball has given the Tampa Bay Rays to explore playing home games in both Tampa and Montreal, commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday. The Rays are considering a two-city solution as a way to save baseball in the Tampa Bay area, following years after years of unsuccessful attempts to build a new stadium. ESPN: “Under the plan, the Rays would play early-season home games in the Tampa Bay area and the remainder of the year in Montreal, with both cities getting new stadiums, sources said. The number of home games each city would receive has not been determined, sources said. Manfred referred to the idea of a two-city Rays team as a long-term project.” 2. RETAIL BRANDS GET INTO THE HOTEL BUSINESS: Taco Bell’s upcoming hotel in Palm Springs is now accepting reservations, and it is the latest brand offering guests an alternative hotel option to the typical chain. The hotel highlights the trend of high-profile brands, which also includes Equinox and West Elm, getting into the hotel business. Washington Post: “Next month, the first Equinox hotel is set to open in New York City, with more on the horizon in Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Santa Clara, California. The furnishings brand RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, plans to open RH Guesthouse in New York in the fall. West Elm, another furniture store, says it will open its first hotel next year—later than originally planned —but has locations coming in Detroit; Minneapolis; Indianapolis; Oakland, California; and Portland, Maine. They will join a smattering of hotels already operating around the world under names more associated with fashion, jewelry, crystal, or home goods, including Armani, Versace, Bulgari, Baccarat, Ikea, Muji and Shinola.” 3. LIVE NATION TO LAUNCH AUGMENTED-REALITY STREAMING AT MUSIC FESTIVALS: Live Nation has unveiled a new augmented-reality initiative, which will allow the company to live stream music festivals in AR. The company will launch the stream at the Music Midtown festival in Atlanta in September. Variety: “Live Nation announced the new initiative at the Cannes Lions festival Thursday, where it also introduced Hyundai as the sponsor underwriting the experience. Users of Live Nation’s app will be able to explore ‘a custom 3-D version of the 2020 Sonata’ in A.R., according to a media release. … The music content will still be a traditional 2-D stream, it will just be presented with a few AR bells and whistles around it. Live Nation does promise a dedicated AR V.I.P. mode that is supposed to give fans access to unique camera angles you wouldn’t get to enjoy if watching the festival in person.” | 