AEG vice president in drive to go global.

MEGA-promoter AEG is expecting big things from newly christened exec VP Andrew Messick, who will run marketing, advertising, PR, merchandising, creative services and business operations for most of AEG's sports operations.

He comes from the NBA, where he was point man on the hoops loop's extensive international efforts. That will be his priority with AEG, which intends to go global with its concept of combining sports and concert promotion, arena and real estate management in major cities--as it has with the Staples Center, LA Live and the Galaxy.

Messick, 43, and his wife Beth are buying a home in Hancock Park and it will mark his first real return to the West Coast since growing up in Santa Barbara and attending UC Davis.

Of course, the international initiative that he's most concerned with at the moment is Brit David Beckham, AEG's hyper-hyped soccer poster boy. The Galaxy's new star has turned into the world's best-paid benchwarmer and some think the next thing he may bend is a big-time L.A. backlash if his injury won't let him play soon. Not to worry, says Messick.

"We have faith in our physicians," he said, "and his ankle."

Setting Sale

For a dowdy old dame, Long Beach's 71-year-old Queen Mary is attracting a lot of attention as the Aug. 14 bankruptcy auction draws near. The frontrunner appears to be Santa Monica's O&S Holdings, co-owned by Paul Orfalea, co-founder of the Kinko's chain. The company's $41 million bid will open the bidding. City officials nearly accepted a $49 million offer for the ship and the real asset--the 45 acres of adjoining waterfront acreage. Orange County developer Jeffrey S. Klein and the Carlyle Group were planning a theme resort but dropped out claiming city negotiators changed their terms. Bankruptcy trustee Howard Ehrenberg will oversee the auction.

Peacock and Jay

Three years ago, NBC signed Conan O'Brien to take over "The Tonight Show" in 2009. With that date approaching, NBC's Burbank brass has a new problem: How to anoint O'Brien but keep Jay Leno in the Peacock's nest? Most of all, new co-chairmen Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff want to keep Leno away from Fox or ABC. "The Tonight Show" generated about $160 million in profit last year, about 15 percent of the network's bottom line. Leno will be only 59 when the changeover occurs, seven years younger than Johnny Carson was when he gave up the chair 15 years ago. Among the options are a primetime or variety show that would air once or multiple times a week, or work on cable's USA Network, which NBC is hoping to build into a "fifth network." The answer could be a digital-age version of a Bob Hope deal, in which a semi-retired Leno could do specials whenever he wanted.

Todd Cunningham is the assistant managing editor of the Business Journal. He can be reached at [e-mail]