Legal Aspects of Contracting & Negotiating Attrition

MSAE's Meeting Management Networking Group met in November to discuss legal aspects of contracting and negotiating attrition.  Here are the top takeaways:

1. Resources

• Ask and Ye Shall (Maybe) Receive - MN Meetings & Events article
• 11 Lessons from Convention Center Experts - MeetingsNet article
  

2. Cancellation by hotel - double protection

• Hotel has no right to cancel or terminate this Contract expect for cause as specified in Force Majeure.  In the event that Hotel cancels the contract, Hotel will be liable for direct damages which Group may suffer. 

3. Creative concessions to put in contract

• Cut-off date - try for three weeks out and make sure it states "Reservations requested after the cut-off date will be accepted at the group rate on a space available basis."
• Rooms attrition - Try for 70-75% dropage without penalty (80% is standard).
• Relocation clause
• Construction/renovation
• Change in management
• Room block review (for big conferences)
• Indemnification - make it mutual instead of venue sided
• Resale clause
• Rebooking
• Lowest rate
• Disclosure of in-house groups
• Association merger
• Pest control
• AV - can bring in own company, won't be charged electrical fees/patch in

For 2014 meeting dates, visit www.msae.com/networking.