City of Bowling Green, Kentucky

Guidelines

Food & Beverage:
With limited exceptions, no food and beverages/alcohol may be brought into the convention center.  Catering must be supplied by the convention center.  Allowed exceptions are wedding cakes, and special fund raising events where community businesses provide food samples (e.g., Taste of Bowling Green, The Chocolate Festival). All alcoholic beverages to be served on convention center premises for the function must be dispensed only by convention center servers and bartenders.  The convention center will adhere to all federal and state laws regulating the sales and service of alcoholic beverages.

Audio Visual Equipment:
Groups may rent AV equipment from the convention center, or bring in their own equipment.  Convention center staff is not responsible for set up, maintenance, or security for non-rented equipment.  Event planners should clearly identify equipment needs in the rental agreement prior to the event.

Room Rental: 
City policy prohibits the management company from giving convention center rooms for free.  However, the sales office has been given certain flexibility to charge rental rates commensurate with the level of economic impact/number of visitors that the convention/event will bring to Bowling Green, and dates/times of the planned event compared to busy times of the year and week.  The number of hours and meeting rooms to be rented can also impact the rental rate per room, and whether this would prevent other rentals that might produce more economic impact. Contact the sales office to find out what dates might allow for discounted rental.

Rental/Catering Contract:
The final guarantee of persons attending the events is due three business days prior to the start of the event.  The final guarantee may not fall below 80% of the contracted number of attendees; otherwise a penalty may be assessed as additional room rental and will be stated on the catering contract.

The convention center reserves the right to renegotiate meeting room rental charges if food and beverage functions are cancelled.  Specific details will be listed on the catering contract.

The catering contract will contain a cancellation policy with a sliding scale depending on date of cancellation notification, indicating the percentage of meeting room rent or total catering and meeting room rent that will be due if an event is cancelled.  This applies to cancellation by either the group or the convention center.

Any changes, additions, stipulations or deletions including corrective lining out by either the group or the sales office will not be considered agreed to or binding on the other unless such modifications have been initialed and dated or otherwise approved in writing by the other.

In order to guarantee rates quoted and all other terms, the contract must be signed and returned by the established date or the sales office reserves the right to release the function space held.

Service Fee and Sales Tax:
All rental, catering, and equipment charges are subject to a 6% state sales tax unless the contracting organization provides documentation of exemption from Kentucky state sales tax. All rental, catering and equipment charges are subject to a 21% service fee to cover related personnel costs such as set up, service during the event, and tear down. The service fee is charged by the management company and is subject to change.

Meeting Rooms:
In order to protect the condition of the facilities and the equipment, nothing can be attached to the walls of any function space or to the equipment.  Banners will be hung by convention center staff members only, at the prevailing labor charge.

If changes are made to a room set-up on the day of the function and the room is already set as per the banquet event order, management reserves the right to charge an additional fee for the change.

Liability:
The management staff reserves the right to inspect and control all private functions and rooms.  Liability for damages to the premises will be charged accordingly.  The convention center and management company can not assume responsibility for personal property and equipment brought onto the premises.

Loss/Damages/Security:
The convention center does provide after hours security.  However, neither the convention center nor management company shall assume responsibility for the damage or loss of any merchandise or articles left in the convention center by a group or its attendees, prior to, or following any event.  Arrangements for security of exhibits, merchandise or articles set up for display must be made prior to the planned event, for an additional charge.  If the organization requires security, arrangements must be coordinated with the sales office.

Advertising:
Except in notifying attendees of the location of the convention/event, the group shall not use the name, trademark, logo or other proprietary designation of the convention center in any advertising or promotional materials without the prior written approval of the management company.

Signage:
The group may use organizational signage in any public area of the convention center as long as it is professionally printed and pre-approved by the sales office.