Policies and Terms
The Los Angeles Convention Center Policies and Guidelines The following policies and guidelines will assist you with the planning and preparation of your event.
Booking Priorities
Established by the Los Angeles City Council, File #9200569, April 28, 1992
A. Conventions and trade shows, which generate primary attendance from outside the Los Angeles area and have significant
impact on hotel occupancy tax, are considered long-term bookings and have priority over all other events. Long-term
bookings may license space at the LACC up to ten (10) years in advance of scheduled use. Reservations are made in the
LACC's master booking calendar by the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau (LACVB). LongTerm Bookings are
scheduled and licensed more than twenty-four (24) months.
B. Trade shows and public shows which generate primary attendance from the Los Angeles metropolitan area are considered
Short-term bookings and have priority on available dates less than 24 months prior to the event date. Reservations are made
in the master booking calendar by the Los Angeles Convention Center. Short Term Bookings are scheduled and licensed
less than twenty-four (24) months.
C. Events of one-day duration, meeting room rentals, and food service events may only be licensed within six (6) months of
the event.
Licensing Process
A booking is created when a person, group, association or company requests the use of an exhibit hall, meeting room, or combination thereof, for a convention, trade show, consumer show, meeting or a food function. The space is held by a reservation in the LACC's master booking calendar.
A. Tentative Reservation
A tentative reservation is a hold on space with no legal obligation on the part of the LACC. Tentative reservations are subject to cancellation when:
(1) an event requiring more space or is of longer duration requests the same dates and is prepared to license;
(2) a client does not respond to a deadline; or
(3) a single-day hall event or meeting room client is holding space outside of six (6) months.
A conflict occurs when one or more clients request the same day/space usage or when an event's usage overlaps an existing reservation. If the conflict is with a licensed event, the reservation is not accepted. A reservation can be canceled by either party without penalty.
B. Pending License
A license issued by the LACC is considered pending until it has been executed and returned with the required deposit by the date stipulated on the license. Until a license is executed by the LACC General Manager, there is no obligation on the part of the LACC.
C. License Agreement
A license agreement is binding when executed by the Licensee and the General Manager of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Changes to the license agreement may only be made by Addendum issued by the Los Angeles Convention Center and executed by both parties. The Los Angeles Convention Center has sole authority to issue licenses for use of the Los Angeles Convention Center.
A client with an executed license agreement may hold tentative reservations for an annual show up to 24 months beyond the licensed event.
D. Confirmed Reservation
A reservation is confirmed after it has been entered by the LACVB or LACC into the booking calendar and there are no conflicts. All LACVB bookings are subject to confirmation by the LACC's Marketing Director.
E. Terminology
A "Letter of Intent to Contract" issued by an association after it has accepted the LACVB's proposal, or the term "firm" used by the LACVB after an organization has committed to Los Angeles, is not recognized as a legally binding agreement with the LACC.
Deposit Policy
Established by the Los Angeles City Council, File #92-0569-52, November 22, 1994
A. Long-term bookings made by the LACVB may license space at the LACC up to ten (10) years in advance. A deposit, equaling 1% of the total rental or $1,000, whichever is greater, must be returned with the executed license. Longterm bookings licensed within 24 months prior to their first move-in day are subject to the deposit schedule for short-term bookings.
B. Twelve (12) months prior to the first move-in date, fifteen percent (15%) of the licensed rental charges, a partial payment including the non-refundable deposit, shall be paid.
C. Six (6) months prior to the first move-in date, fifty percent (50%) of the licensed rental charges, including the nonrefundable deposit and the previous partial payment, shall be paid.
D. The remaining balance of the licensed rental charges shall be due and payable thirty (30) days prior to the first move-in date.
All deposits are payable to the Los Angeles Convention Center. Failure to pay any deposit on date(s) specified shall constitute a material breach of the license agreement, which may result in forfeiture of any deposits paid and cancellation of the license agreement.
The long-term booking deposit policy is applicable for all events booked by the LACVB and events booked by the LACC, which meet the following criteria:
A. Have a five (5) year annual or more frequent booking history with the Los Angeles Convention Center.
B. Have produced revenues of $400,000 per event for the Center in the most recent event year.
C. Book not less than 200,000 square feet per event.
D. All other events are considered short-term bookings and shall pay a non-refundable deposit of fifteen percent (15%) of the estimated basic rental charges for the event upon execution of the license. Six (6) months prior to the first move-in date, the client shall make a partial payment which, together with the non-refundable deposit, totals fifty percent (50%) of the estimated basic rental. The remaining estimated basic rental charges [fifty percent (50%)] shall be due and payable thirty (30) days prior to the client's first move-in date.
E. In instances where, in the opinion of the General Manager of the LACC, it is in the best interests of the City to require additional security in connection with a license, the foregoing amounts can be increased to such amounts as the General Manager reasonably believes will protect the interests of the City.
F. The terms and conditions contained in the LACC licensee agreement shall be controlling and binding upon the parties. This Deposit Policy is solely for internal purposes and creates no right whatsoever in the license.
Cancellation/Refund Policy
A. If a convention, trade show or consumer show cancels twenty-four (24) months before the licensed dates, the nonrefundable deposit is forfeited.
B. Cancellations occurring less than 24 months to 18 months before the licensed date, the deposits paid, except the original non-refundable deposit, are refunded.
C. Cancellation occurring less than 18 months and the dates are resold for the same or greater rental, the licensee is entitled to a refund upon completion of the successor event. If the LACC in unable to resell the dates, the licensee is responsible for the entire rental and liquidated damages.
D. Cancellations occurring less than 90 days prior to the licensed date, shall forfeit the deposit, and if the LACC is unable to resell the space, the licensee may be held responsible for the entire rental.
E. Meeting Room Events: Cancellations received within a four (4) week period prior to the licensed date shall forfeit their deposit. The full rental fee shall be payable by the Licensee to the Center as liquidated damages, not as penalty, if cancelled within two (2) weeks of the event, and Licensee may be subject to paying reimbursable expenses incurred by the LACC in connection with the event.
