Welcome! If you are a first-time client to the Baton Rouge River Center, the first step in helping us to assist you in booking your event is to complete our brief facility application. Please e-mail or fax (225) 389-4954 this application to our office and we will contact you immediately to confirm your request and to discuss date and cost information.

1. Purpose

• The primary objective of the Baton Rouge River Center is to attract and produce events with significant economic potential to the City.  A secondary objective is to facilitate local civic and community events promoting community pride and quality of life, within a sound financial context.
  

2. Scheduling Priority

• Arena
  • 1st Priority
    • Concert-type programming, annual family shows and trade shows utilizing multiple show days.
      
  • 2nd Priority
    • Conventions, trade shows and consumer shows also utilizing the entire exhibition space and generating at least 500 verifiable hotel rooms on at least two nights in the City, and parties that have recurring events in the facility for two or more consecutive years.
  • 3rd Priority
    • Non-concert type events utilizing single show days.
• Theatre for the Performing Arts
  • 1st Priority
    • Annual fine arts clients and series. Concerts and other multi-performance events.
  • 2nd Priority
    • Multiple day users-gospel shows/plays, conventions, trade shows and consumer shows also utilizing the entire exhibition hall and generating 500 verifiable hotel room-nights on each of two nights in the City.
• Grand Ballroom
  • 1st Priority
    • Annual balls, banquets and galas.
  • 2nd Priority
    • Conventions, trade shows and consumer shows utilizing multiple show days and a minimum of 40,000 Sq. Ft.
• Convention Center
  
  

3. Contracting and Reserving

• Date and space requests for 1st Priority events may be made as far in advance as necessary or appropriate and may supersede requests for other events, unless SMG and the user for such other event have previously executed a license agreement.
• Date and space requests for 2nd and 3rd Priority events to be held in the Convention Center and the Grand Ballroom will not be confirmed or contracted outside of 18 months in advance unless approved by the SMG General Manager.
• Date and space requests for 2nd and 3rd Priority events to be held in the arena and/or the theatre will be confirmed at the sole discretion of the SMG General Manager considering the scheduling needs of the 1st Priority events.
  

4.  Deposits

• The Deposit establishes the lessee's commitment to lease space on specified dates, and is an integral part of the Contract Agreement.  The lessor is legally-bound to hold the contracted space and dates for the lessee; therefore, The Baton Rouge River Center is not obligated to accept any contract not accompanied by the required deposit, or to maintain the reservation or booking.
  • 1st Priority
    • A deposit of up to 50% of contract rental plus estimated expenses is required upon contract execution. For events booked several years in advance, the Baton Rouge River Center, at its option, may impose a lesser deposit with contract; balance due at a specific later date.
  • 2nd Priority
    • A deposit of up to 50% of contract rental plus estimated building expenses is required upon contract execution.
  • 3rd Priority
    • A deposit of up to full contract rental, plus estimated building expenses, at the Baton Rouge River

5. Tentative Holds

• Tentative holds are subject to a "challenge", as outlined in Section 6 – Challenging a Tentative Hold.
• Tentative dates may be "bumped" by other tentative dates of a higher priority.
• The holding party of any tentative date will be formally contacted prior to being "bumped" or cancelled.

6. Challenging a Tentative Hold

• Tentative, non-contracted dates may be challenged.
• A deposit of 50% and a signed contract may be required to maintain a tentative hold. 
• A deposit of 50% may be required to challenge a tentative hold. 
• Tentative holds and challenges are subject to booking priorities listed in Section 1. 

7. Date Protection

• Bookings of shows deemed competitive to existing shows will not be accepted within 30 days before or after such existing shows.
• Determination of competing shows will be at the discretion of the BRRC General Manager.
  Competitive shows are described as:
  • shows sharing a common exhibitor base.
  • shows sharing a common content.
  • shows targeting similar, specific audience or ticket buyer.

8. Lease Agreement Guidelines

• Advertising for any event is not permitted prior to a Lease Agreement being fully executed. 
• Tickets for any public show are not permitted to go on sale until a Lease Agreement has been fully executed. 
• The BRRC reserves the right to have final approval on all public information (such as advertisements, signs, exhibitor packets, etc.) to ensure that the information in regards to the building is correct prior to publication of any materials. 
• Advertisements, exhibitor packets or promotional materials must reference the facility as the " Baton Rouge River Center". 
• Individuals or companies associated with your event, but not part of the event (i.e.: photographers), must provide insurance. 

9. Insurance

• The Baton Rouge River Center requires EVERY event to show proof of insurance. Per the contract, proof of insurance must be received no less than 10 days prior to the first day of the lease. Failure to provide insurance will result in the cancellation of the event with the forfeiture of deposit. Levels of coverage are to be determined by the Risk Management Department of SMG. On every insurance certificate, additional insured for all liability must read:  SMG Baton Rouge River Center, City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge, 275 South River Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802. Any client wishing to include alcoholic beverages within the facility for an event must provide a $5 Mil liquor liability policy. The persons/organizations responsible for serving alcohol must be named as additional insured.

10. Catering and Concessions

• The Baton Rouge River Center retains the rights to all catering and concessions in its facilities.

11. BRRC Marketing

• The Baton Rouge River Center Marketing Department is available to clients for assistance in conceptualizing and executing marketing strategies specific to each event. Services include, but are not limited to; placing advertising buys, implementing creative promotions and coordination of a successful group sales campaign. If you would like more information about the BRRC Marketing Department and services, please notify your Event Coordinator.

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