Hospitality & Leisure

Paris – September 10, 2026 -- The 18th Lyon Biennale – Contemporary Art will hold two professional preview days on September 17 and 18, 2026, ahead of a public opening spanning 11 venues across Lyon and its metropolitan area until December 13, 2026.

Accreditation deadline set for September 16 as biennale targets global art professionals

Artists, curators, gallerists, museum directors, collectors and professionals from production, mediation, communications and research sectors can apply for accreditation through Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Accreditation grants exclusive access to exhibition venues during the two preview days, entry to the opening reception at Les Grandes Locos on September 18, and access to all Biennale venues during the first two public days on September 19 and 20.

Abu Dhabi – September 09, 2026 -- Miral and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences will add three new Harry Potter-themed lands to Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, spanning approximately 63,000 sqm (678,000 sqft), with construction targeted for completion in 2029.

Three new zones will recreate Diagon Alley, Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest

The lands will feature world-exclusive Harry Potter-themed rides built solely for the Yas Island park, according to the companies. Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi currently operates six immersive lands themed around Warner Bros. franchises.

Expansion lifts total park footprint by more than 50%

The Harry Potter additions form part of a wider build-out that also includes two previously announced DC attractions, Kryptonite Collider and Superman Up and Away. Combined, the new zones will add roughly 70,000 sqm (753,478 sqft) of theme park space, expanding the park's overall size by more than 50%.

Innsbruck – September 09, 2026 -- Kitzbühel Tourismus won the TIROLERIN Award in the category "Tourism & Regional Value Creation," recognizing the destination's year-round strategy and regional economic impact. The prize was presented at a gala in the Riesensaal of the Kaiserliche Hofburg in Innsbruck, attended by more than 200 guests from business, culture and politics. Managing Director Dr. Viktoria Veider-Walser accepted the award on behalf of the organization's team.

Dallas – September 09, 2026 -- TGI Fridays has signed a development agreement with Devolli Group to build 10 restaurants across Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia, marking the American casual dining chain's first entry into the Balkans.

Devolli Group secures exclusive sub-franchise rights across three Balkan markets

Under the agreement, Devolli Group will develop the 10 units and holds exclusive rights to sub-franchise the TGI Fridays brand throughout the territory, creating a platform for further expansion across Southeast Europe.

Cheyenne – September 08, 2026 -- White Knight Capital Corp. is in advanced negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) to restructure LIV Golf Enterprises through a debt-to-equity conversion and a planned reverse merger into a Nasdaq-listed entity, targeting a 2027 launch of "LIV Golf 2.0."

White Knight requests $100 million in fresh PIF equity alongside a $500 million bank-backed facility

Under the proposed terms, White Knight would take an assignment of PIF's existing rights, obligations, and claims tied to LIV Golf. The Wyoming-based firm has requested that PIF commit an additional $100 million in direct equity into the post-merger public company. Separately, White Knight has arranged a $500 million equity facility through a major Wall Street investment bank, contingent on completion of the merger and other closing conditions.

Kitzbühel – September 08, 2026 -- Kitzbühel Tourismus received the TIROLERIN Award in the category "Tourism & Regional Value Creation" at a gala in the Imperial Hofburg in Innsbruck, recognizing the destination's shift to a year-round tourism strategy. Managing Director Dr. Viktoria Veider-Walser accepted the award on behalf of the organization before more than 200 guests from business, culture and politics.

Jury cites brand relaunch and strategic repositioning as key drivers

Florian Neuner, head of industry and corporate communications at Tirol Werbung, praised Kitzbühel Tourismus in his laudatory speech for its consistent strategic development process, highlighting the multi-award-winning 2024 brand relaunch. The relaunch was built on five defined success patterns, a core service proposition and a clear positioning statement, forming the basis for Kitzbühel's long-term development as a contemporary, year-round destination.

Los Angeles – September 08, 2026 -- Hozpitality Group will convene senior women executives from Marriott International, Delta Air Lines, FIFA World Cup 2026 Los Angeles and The Music Center at an exclusive leadership forum on October 7, 2026, at Cameo Beverly Hills.

Forum caps attendance at 50 to 80 senior industry leaders

The Hozpitality Women Leadership Forum 2026 runs from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM under the theme "Breaking Barriers & Building Success: How Women Leaders Are Shaping the Future of Hospitality & Tourism." Organizers expect a curated audience of approximately 50 to 80 senior professionals and invited media, drawn from hospitality, aviation, sports, entertainment and the arts.

Edison, N.J. – September 08, 2026 -- McCann Systems has won two 2026 Commercial Integrator Awards, taking Best Healthcare Project and Best Casino Project honors for AV integration work completed this year. The win marks the ninth consecutive year McCann has received a "Best Of" award from Commercial Integrator.

McCann's Client Experience Center integration earns Best Healthcare Project

The award recognizes McCann's work on a 5,000-square-foot immersive Client Experience Center built for a Fortune 500 company. The project integrates interactive LED displays, personalized content, and dynamic experiential spaces designed to guide guests through the client's story and solutions, supported by centralized AV control infrastructure.

Northbrook, Ill. – September 07, 2026 -- Hilco Real Estate, LLC is accepting bids until September 22 for a four-property portfolio along the Guadalupe River in the New Braunfels-Canyon Lake area of Texas, sold through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

Bankruptcy sale offers assets individually or combined

The sale is directed by Gregory S. Milligan of Harney Partners as Chief Restructuring Officer for two jointly administered debtors, Kona Coast Venture, LTD and Hideout on the Horseshoe, LLC. The case is pending before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division, under Case No. 26-51866. Buyers can pursue any single asset or combination, according to Hilco.

Burbank, Calif. – September 07, 2026 -- Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Brand New Day has become the highest-grossing film in CJ 4DPLEX history, generating more than $104 million across its SCREENX and 4DX premium formats in just 33 days.

Film shatters prior record set by Avatar: The Way of Water

The title surpassed the previous all-time CJ 4DPLEX box office record of $103 million held by Avatar: The Way of Water, which took 228 days to reach that figure. Spider-Man: Brand New Day achieved the milestone in roughly one-seventh of the time.

Film draws 6.7 million admissions across 1,200 screens worldwide

Since its global release, the film has logged more than 115,000 shows across 1,200 screens in premium formats, reaching over 6.7 million admissions. It posted a record 40% average occupancy rate and set opening records for SCREENX in 36 countries and for 4DX in 22 countries.