Venue Guide & Policies

II. DEFINITIONS

The following terms, as defined here, are generally recognized throughout the industry and have been adopted by the SCC.

1. Conventions/Trade Shows:
   An assembly of people who specialize in one particular area of interest. A convention is generally a meeting function with some exhibition needs. A trade show is composed primarily of exhibits with limited technical sessions that are relative to the particular trade. Neither conventions nor trade shows are typically opened to the general public and a registration fee for participants is usually imposed.
2. Public Expositions:
   Consumer or special interest shows conducted or produced for the purpose of attracting a primary audience from the general public of the Greater Shreveport community, and for which an admission charge is levied.
3. Meetings:
   An assembly of people for a wide variety of purposes: business, religious, social, or educational. Based upon the nature of the event, a registration fee or some other restriction may be imposed to control access to these functions.
4. Miscellaneous Events:
   Events within this grouping include activities such as, but not limited to, proms, graduations, dances, dinners, musical and theatrical productions, and various civic events. Admission to these events is limited by the size of the space rented, anticipated attendance, or by an admission charge levied on the participants.
5. First Option:
   Provides a prospective client with the first right of refusal on specified space through a fixed date. If a License Agreement is not executed by this date, the space may be re-licensed or resold. Should another group of equal booking priority wish to book the dates (in whole or in part and as specified in the Second Option definition) prior to the fixed date specified, the holder of the First Option will be given three (3) business days to execute a written License Agreement for the space.

6. Second Option:
   Provides for a second group of equal booking priority to enter into a commitment to book specific space and dates in the SCC should the space and/or dates, in whole or in part, being held under the First Option above be re-licensed by the First Option group. The commitment is in the form of a binding License Agreement contingent upon the space and/or dates being re- licensed under the defined procedure.
7. Tentative:
   Commitment to hold space based on a verbal request of the show producer. Either party may cancel such commitments with prior written notification without penalty.
8. Definite:
   Commitment to hold space based on a written request for space and subsequent written confirmation from the SCC. Definite holds are made pending execution of the License Agreement between the parties and may not be unilaterally cancelled by the SCC.
9. Confirmed:
   Hold on space that has been contracted through the execution of a License Agreement and receipt of deposits as outlined therein.

III. BOOKING GUIDELINES

Booking Responsibilities

Solicitation of bookings for SCC space more than eighteen (18) months in advance of the requested dates will be handled by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau (SBCTB) in conjunction with SCC management and are subject to the guidelines in Sections IV A and B below.

Solicitation of bookings for SCC space less than eighteen (18) months in advance of the requested dates will primarily be handled by the SCC and are subject to the policies outlined herein.

Both parties will work to market the SCC.

Business Evaluation

To maximize the regional economic impact, SCC and SBCTB staffs will consider the relative merits of each potential booking on a case-by-case basis. The Center and Bureau management will review booking priorities periodically as part of the marketing/sales plan approval process.

Booking considerations include: room night generation, lead-time of booking; peak demand time; arrival/departure patterns; catered food and beverage functions; degree of cost sensitivity; size of Center’s exhibit/meeting space required; potential for repeat/referral business; prestige factor, and attendance.

It is recognized that many factors impact the desirability of an account. In order to achieve the maximum future economic impact of the Center, the Bureau working with the Center management may deem appropriate to confirm groups, which singularly do no meet guidelines, but are beneficial to Shreveport when viewed in a broader booking perspective, due to their public relations image enhancing qualities and ancillary promotional value.

Booking Calendar

The Center shall control and maintain the booking calendar for the Center. The Bureau shall be provided read-only access to the booking calendar. Only the Center staff shall make and confirm final entries into the booking calendar.

IV. RESERVATION PRIORITIES

A. First Priority Events

First Priority for scheduling the Center will be available to regional, national, international conventions, congresses, trade shows, corporate meetings and similar activities which are not normally open to the general public and which meet all the following criteria or targets:

• Are multi-day (2 day or longer) meetings
• Will generate bookings with a minimum of either 350 peak room nightsor 1,000 total hotel nights, and
• Will require a minimum of 50,000 gross square feet of conventioncenter exhibition/meeting space, and
• Will give preference to utilization of a minimum of 75% of the roomblock available at the Hilton Hotel

1. Reservations: Date requests for first priority events may be made as far in advance as necessary or appropriate Pursuant to the definitions above.
2. License Agreement: A signed, fully executed binding document for First Priority Events will be required not less than eighteen (18) months in advance of the event, or at the discretion of the SCC General Manager.
3. Refusal Options: As outlined in the definitions, all reservations will be subject to First and Second Options until a fully executed License Agreement is in place.
4. Preference may be given among First Priority events to those events that confirm returning to the SCC on an annual or more frequent basis.

B. Second Priority Events

Second Priority for scheduling the Center will be available to regional, national and international conventions, congresses, trade shows, corporate meetings and similar activities, which are not normally open to the general public and which meet all of the following criteria or targets:

• Are multi-day (2 day or longer) meetings

• Will generate bookings with a minimum of either 250 peak room nights or 500 total hotel room nights;
• Will require a minimum gross of 24,000 square feet of convention center space;
• Will require at least one (1) major catered food and beverage function, and
• Will give preference to utilization of a minimum of 75% of the room block available at the Hilton Hotel

Certain local and multi-day consumer events such as auto, home and boat shows (by way of example only) may be offered equal scheduling priority if the above targets and criteria are met, or if it is established by the Center or Authority that such events meet the Center’s civic objectives. Exhibition and meeting space will be reserved at the time of commitment. Space allotment within the Center and dates will be considered firm upon execution of a lease or other Agreement with Center management.

1. Reservations: Date requests for Second Priority Events may be made as far in advance as necessary or appropriate. Second Priority Events may not supersede requests for First Priority Events, nor can they challenge First Priority Events as a second option.
2. In booking Second Priority Events, preference will be given to groups who meet the guidelines specified herein for Special Consideration.
3. License Agreement: A signed, fully executed binding document for Second Priority Events will be required not less than fourteen (14) months in advance of the event, or at the discretion of the SCC General Manager.
4. Refusal Options: As outlined in the definitions, all reservations will be subject to First and Second Options until a fully executed License Agreement is in place.

C. Third Priority Events

Third priority for scheduling space and dates in the Center will be available to other multi-day conventions, tradeshows, or meetings that are state, regional or national in nature and require a dedicated block of hotel rooms, consumer or public exhibitions (shows open in whole or in part to the general public and not meeting the criteria outlined in IV-B), local corporate meetings, special events, sporting events, banquets, entertainment events, graduations, business meetings and other activities which essentially draw from or appeal to the general public and/or local attendees and participants.

Space and date scheduling commitments for third priority events and activities will not typically be made more than fourteen (14) months in advance.

1. Reservations: Date requests for Third Priority Events may be made not more than fourteen (14) months in advance, unless the requested dates are known to conflict with high room demand events. Third Priority Events may not supersede requests for First or Second Priority Events, nor can they challenge First or Second Priority Events as a second option.
2. Within the Third Priority category, first preference will be given to multi-day conventions, tradeshows, or meetings that are state, regional or national in nature and require a dedicated block of hotel rooms followed by long-standing public shows and trade shows held on an annual basis in Shreveport that have a proven track record of success and benefit the community at large. These public events will be given priority over new public shows desiring to come into the market.

3. License Agreement: License Agreements for Third Priority Events will not be issued more than six (6) months in advance of the first show date. A signed, fully executed License Agreement must be returned to the Center within twenty (20) business days of the issuance of the LA or within a lesser amount of time upon the discretion of the SCC General Manager.
4. SCC management reserves the right to assign space based upon the best use of the Center. Third Priority Events may be moved to another space within the facility or to a different time period prior to the receipt of a signed, fully executed License Agreement, or in the case of single day events, upon the Confirmed Booking of a multi- day event of any priority more than 60 days in advance of the contracted event. Movement to another date or venue will only be required as a last option following the full development of a schedule for the multi-day event.
5. Refusal Options: As outlined in the definitions, all reservations will be subject to First and Second Options until a fully executed License Agreement is in place.

NOTE: All event priority categories are subject to review for Special Consideration based on the needs of the SCC and the best interest of Shreveport. Guidelines for Special Consideration include, but are not limited to:

• Event held during off-peak demand times defined mutually by SBCTB and SCC senior management
• Arrival/Departure Patterns
• Public relations value to the Region
• Hotel Occupancy/Distressed Periods
• Conflicting Events (other conventions, major sporting events, etc.) whichsubstantially reduce the availability of hotel rooms in the area

Potential for growth, annual, repeat, or multi-year bookings

Special Consideration will require mutual agreement of SCC & SBCTB.

V. Consumer/Public Shows:

A protection clause may, upon approval of the SCC, be granted to recurring consumer/public shows that have a proven record of success, and which have produced significant economic benefit to the Greater Shreveport tourism community and public assembly facilities. If granted by the SCC, the Protection Clause will offer a maximum of ninety (90) total days of protection. SCC management will have discretion to split the protection period (example: 45 days before and after or 60 days before and 30 days after), but in all cases the Protection Period shall be detailed in the License Agreement. In addition, all advertising related to public shows must focus on the primary product lines being offered in the show and may not promote product lines common to competing shows creating confusion in the public expectation for each show. The Protection Clause will read as follows:

Protection Clause

Licensor agrees that it will not license any portion of the SCC facility to any competing event for a period of _____days before Licensee’s first event day and _____days after Licensee’s last event day (the “Protection Period”). A “competing event” is hereby defined as an event which has twenty percent (20%) or more of its net square footage of exhibit space showing/selling product lines the same or substantially similar to the product lines in the Licensee’s event. However, a show that is open to the public shall never be deemed a competing event with a show open only to the trade and vice versa. All advertising for consumer/public shows will focus on the primary theme and product lines being promoted to the consumer and will not promote competitive show product lines. The determination whether or not an event is a “competing event” shall be solely within the discretion of the General Manager and shall be based upon the product lines and/or exhibitor listings from both events.

VI. RESERVATION PROCEDURES:

A. Facility Use Application

In order to request space in the SCC, a Facility Use Application must be submitted to the SCC Booking Coordinator.

The SCC may decline to approve any application for any event or Producer on the basis of credit references, financial ability or prior experience, or to a Producer who has failed to perform any obligations under a prior agreement with the SCC or similar facility, has cancelled or failed to proceed with a confirmed reservation in SCC or a similar facility, or whose conduct is, in the opinion of the management of SCC, detrimental to the best interest of the City of Shreveport and the Region.

B. Reservation Status

Tentative Reservations are subject to the approval of the SCC General Manager, and are subject to the following:

1. All tentative reservations can be cancelled by the SCC subject to the provisions of First and Second Option as defined under Section II, 5 and 6.
2. A tentative reservation for a Third Priority Event outside of six (6) months is subject to cancellation with a forty-eight (48) hour notice at the discretion of the SCC management.

VII. FIRST OPTION RIGHT OF REFUSAL

Should a group or event of equal priority submit a Facility Use Application for all or part of the same dates and/or space being held as a tentative under a First Option, the Second Option group or event shall be given the right to confirm the dates and/or space contingent upon the First Option group or event releasing the dates and/or space under the definition of First Option in Section II, 5.

To activate the First Option Right of Refusal process, the Second Option group or event must submit a Facility Use Application complete with a full deposit, which will only be refundable if the First Option holder exercises their right to execute a license agreement with the SCC.

IX. SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Booking Policies of the Shreveport Convention Center are subject to change without notice at the discretion of the General Manager. A copy of the most current revision will be made available in the SCC SMG Management Office.