The terms below are often used by hotels in the meeting planning process:
- Specs – Meeting specifications.
- 24 hour hold – A space hold that lets the hotel know the room will stay set up as is, and does not need to be “broken down” that evening by set-up staff. Also, the hotel may not re-sell that space to another group. Typical use: you have extensive set-up for an exhibit hall, but are only using the room during the day. A 24-hour hold prevents the hotel from selling the pace for evening usage.
- Classroom – Typical meeting room set-up for a seminar featuring a draped table and 2 or three chairs. “2 per 6” means you want just two chairs per every 6′ table (industry standard). “3 per 6” is also common.
- Theater – All chairs in theater style set-up, no tables.
- Hollow square – Typical Board/committee set-up, featuring linked tables forming a hollow square.
- Suggestion: specify it is a working meeting or requires 2 per 6 if you want space for binders, handouts, etc.
- Conference – Same as above, but not hollow.
Banquet tables – Typical lunch set-up, usually features 10 chairs per table, but can be adapted to 8 for a smaller meeting to max out room. - Max room – Maximum room set-up utilizing smallest aisles allowed.
- Working lunch – No breaks, typically a buffet, guests serve themselves and eat at their seats.
- Resume – Your guide to the hotel detailing the meeting room set-up, food guarantees, schedule, and internal guidelines. (See attached sheet from NAPEO resume. Every single function no matter how small, i.e. staff office or group coffee break, gets a function sheet like this one. Also known as a staging guide.
- BEO – A food and beverage order produced by the hotel using your resume. This is the hotel’s internal document that will be distributed to its staff. Always check every single item against your function sheet. Once you sign it and send it back, you are liable.
- AV – Audiovisual
- Rear screen – All AV is placed behind the screen, so the image is not disturbed if someone walks in front of the screen. Requires 36′ from back wall: space intensive, expensive, and typically requires a projectionist.
- Front screen – The opposite: overhead or 35mm slide projector is set up in front of the screen. Cheaper, easier speaker access, requires less space, but is subject to people walking through the light and disturbing the image on the screen.
- F & B – Food and Beverage
- BOC – Based on consumption. You are charged for items consumed only. I.e., sodas BOC @ $2.75 each. You pay only for those consumed. Plus-Plus (++) – The food cost plus the service charge (typically 19%) and sales tax (typically 6%). Pick-up – The number of rooms your group has in the hotel on any given night. Peak night refers to the highest pick-up of the nights you are holding.
- CVB – Convention Bureau, offers assistance with locating hotels, registration personnel, meeting support.
- DMC – Destination Management Company, assists with entertainment, off-site events, decor.
- Pre-con – Pre-convention meeting with key hotel personnel to confirm final guarantees.
