There will actually be two such exchanges, one operated by Cantor Fitzgerald, which has owned the
Hollywood Stock Exchange for nine years, and the other by Veriana Networks, embracing Chicago commodities traders.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is expected next week to give the greenlight to the Trend Exchange, created by Media Derivatives' Robert Swagger, while the Cantor Exchange, owned by the
Hollywood Stock Exchange's Cantor Fitzgerald and run by Andy Wing, will bow at the end of April.
As its name implies, the
Hollywood Stock Exchange (www.hsx.com) is a prediction market that allows people to bet on the fortunes of Hollywood film and their movie stars.
Cantor has bought the
Hollywood Stock Exchange -found at www.hsx.com-a virtual exchange where thousands of fantasy shares of celebrities are bought and sold and paid for in Hollywood Dollars.
BOWING IN 1996 AS AN exchange to fund independent films, the
Hollywood Stock Exchange has reinvented itself more often than Madonna.
"In the realm of business-to-consumer, there's no question that there's a flood of inventory in the marketplace for advertisers," says Mark Smelzer, vice president of entertainment for L90 Advertising, the Los Angeles firm that sells ad space for several entertainment news destinations including Ain't It Cool News, Inside.com, BigStar and
Hollywood Stock Exchange.
IN MARCH,
HOLLYWOOD STOCK Exchange reportedly doled out $2.5 million for its Academy Awards party at the House of Blues.
Fest was presented by
Hollywood Stock Exchange, MetLife and Kenneth Cole New York.
For the second year, the
Hollywood Stock Exchange will be taking over the House of Blues.
Also in West Hollywood, the
Hollywood Stock Exchange will be taking over - as it did last year -- the House of Blues.
In addition to the major studios' Internet efforts, established sites such as DEN and
Hollywood Stock Exchange are based in Los Angeles, and short film screening site IFilm.com has recently opened an area office.
