Perhaps the most important place to use a checklist is in your contracts. Do you have one for this purpose? If not, start here; modify to fit your needs.

1. Correct Meeting Dates

   • Does it include move-in and move-out dates?

   • Does it include pre- and post-convention meetings/activities?
2. Correct Organization Name

   • Is the contract in your name or the name of the organization?

3. Complimentary Rooms

   • Can the earned value be deducted from the master account, or must they be assigned?

   • Are they calculated on a cumulative or daily basis?

4. Special Concessions

   • They should be addressed in the contract, not verbally.

5. Method of Reservations

   • Will attendees use the hotel's reservations system or a housing bureau?

6. Cutoff Date

   • What is the date for room-block release, and what happens to attendees who attempt to block after this date?

7. Hotel Management

   • If there is a change in the hotel brand or sale of the property, leave yourself room to cancel the contract.

8. Union Contracts

   • Should be addressed completely with contract renewal dates.

   • If there is a change in the union policy, did you leave yourself room to cancel or renegotiate the contract?

9. Function Space

   • Is enough space being held?

   • If unused space is to be released to the hotel, when does this happen?

   • Is there a charge related to function space if the room block is not filled?

10. Payment

    • Are there deposits due?

    • Can the balance be paid in installments?

    • When is the final balance due?

11. Attrition

    • What percentage of the room block are you committing to sell?

    • How is the penalty calculated?

    • Is the penalty based on lost revenue or lost profit?

12. Room Types

    • If the hotel's room types change significantly, leave room to renegotiate (i.e., if 75 percent of your block needs to be double/double or 30 percent smoking rooms, and the hotel renovates or changes policy, it could drastically affect the potential to sell your room block.)

13. Room Block

    • Have you blocked enough rooms?

    • Do you have rooms blocked on shoulder dates?

    • Is the room rate correct?

    • Have you established a formula for calculating room rate at a future date? (If you are signing a contract years in advance, this may be necessary.)

14. Early Departure Fees

    • In the event of a guest's departure prior to their check-out date, is there are fee? Who pays this fee?

    • Are there exceptions for personal or professional emergencies?

15. Additional Charges

    • Are additional charges (e.g. parking, luggage handling, resort fees, AV, shipping/receiving) addressed?

16. Miscellaneous Items

    Carefully review the following items.

    • Cancellation clause

    • Impossibility clause

    • Compliance with law clause

    • Changes, additions, stipulations or deletions clause

    • Litigation clause

    • American With Disabilities Act Compliance (ADA) clause

    • Indemnification clause

Dean Jones is convention manager, Free Will Baptist Convention, National Association of Free Will Baptists, Nashville, Tenn.