Tough economy erodes fees, independents say Nearly 60 percent of independent event professionals responding to an online survey from Special Events say the tough economy is forcing them to discount their professional fees, while 40 percent say they have been able to hold the line on their pricing. And how is the second half of 2010 shaping up for your event business? Tell us with our latest poll, which appears on the right side of our home page beneath the Resource Center …

Oil disaster spills into meetings Hotels on the Gulf of Mexico are seeing the massive oil spill not only prompting cancellation of current meetings but also putting a damper on future bookings. Our sister publications at MeetingsNet have the full story; click here for more …

Napa Valley says no to weddings Despite lobbying by event professionals, the Napa Valley County [Calif.] Board of Supervisors voted last month to continue its ban on weddings and other events not directly related to marketing wine at its world-renowned wineries. Note: Industry leaders Jenne Hohn and Sasha Souza are working to solve the problem; read more here.