A quick snapshot so we start from the same page

• How long has your organization managed this venue? Options: Less than 1 year, 1–3 years, 4–10 years, More than 10 years
• Tell me about the facility type and the primary event mix you host today, with examples (sports, concerts, conventions, community programming)
• On average, how many event days do you book per month across the year? Options: 0–5, 6–10, 11–20, 21–30, 30+
• Which financial goals does your board or funding authority emphasize most this year? Options: Reduce operating subsidy, Increase event revenue, Grow sponsorship income, Cover debt service, Other
• Who signs off on changing the management model or launching an RFP in your organization?

Where revenue and attendance fall short

• If one operational metric would make you revisit management today, which metric would force that decision? Options: Event days per year, Average revenue per event, Guest satisfaction score, Net operating subsidy, Maintenance backlog
• Give an example of a recent event that underperformed, and walk me through what went wrong from booking through post-event reporting
• How often do you see promoter no-shows, late bookings, or event downgrades in a typical year? Options: Almost every month, A few times a year, Rarely, Never
• Which parts of the guest experience generate the most complaints after events — food and beverage, entry flow, seating, or wayfinding? Options: Food and beverage, Entry and security, Seating and sightlines, Restrooms and cleanliness, Parking and transport, Other
• What single operational failure, if unresolved within 6 months, would make you pause a management transition?

The hidden blockers that trip projects up

• Most transitions get stuck on one non-operational issue, tell me which issue you expect to cause the most delay here Options: Procurement timing, Union negotiations, Lease restrictions, Data access, Capital work schedule, Other
• Who else in your organization needs to be consulted before an RFP is issued, and who is likely to oppose change?
• Describe any collective bargaining or labor agreements that would affect staffing levels, scheduling, or subcontracting during a takeover
• How long does it typically take your legal or procurement team to approve a management contract once commercial terms are settled? Options: Less than 2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 1–3 months, Longer than 3 months
• Is there any legal, lease, or grant condition that would outright prevent engaging an external manager? Options: Yes - lease limits, Yes - grant restrictions, Yes - bond or financing covenant, No, Unsure

Other paths on the table — who and what you are weighing

• Name the incumbent, internal, or alternative options you are actively considering for managing the venue Options: Renew incumbent contract, Internal operations team, Hybrid local partner + vendor, Open competitive RFP, No decision yet
• What evidence or thresholds would have to hold true for you to keep the current approach instead of selecting an external manager?
• Has anyone proposed a 'we'll fix it ourselves' plan internally, and if so, what incremental budget and headcount would that require? Options: Yes - modest budget, Yes - significant budget, No internal proposal, Unsure
• List the partner commitments that would immediately displace the incumbent, for example guaranteed event minimums, capital contributions, or clear subsidy reductions
• If the incumbent matched your top three non-negotiables, would you still proceed with an RFP to test alternatives? Options: Yes, No, Depends on price, Unsure

Who holds the keys — procurement, approvals, and timing

• If the procurement stalls, which committee or executive will decide to restart or cancel the process?
• Walk me through the procurement timeline from RFP release to board vote in your last similar procurement
• List mandatory procurement documents that must appear in the RFP, for example public notices, prequalification forms, or scoring rubrics
• Name the functional owners on the evaluation panel and their roles, for example finance, legal, or operations
• If the board required a local partner or a target subsidy reduction, could you meet that condition within the proposed contract term? Options: Yes, No, Only with capital support, Unsure

Can this be done given your current setup — integrations, access, and data

• Identify the single integration, staffing, or data gap that would stop a transition from starting on schedule
• For ticketing, parking, point-of-sale, and maintenance, list the systems you use today and who owns each connection
• How clean and centralized are your event, financial, and guest data sets for reporting and benchmarking? Options: Well consolidated and clean, Partially consolidated with gaps, Fragmented across systems, Data is not available
• Choose the infrastructure or vendor constraints that apply to your venue Options: Active capital projects, Long-term vendor exclusives, Limited site access, Legacy systems without APIs, None of the above
• Is restricted site access, active capital work, or a union restriction a likely showstopper for starting mobilization on your timeline? Options: Yes - site access is restricted, Yes - active capital work prevents takeover, Yes - union restriction, No, Unsure

Money that moves the conversation

• If you could guarantee one measurable financial outcome in year one, which outcome would move the board to act? Options: Increase event days by X, Increase per-event revenue by X, Reduce annual subsidy by X, Secure a major sponsorship
• Select the top three financial priorities for the next 12 months Options: Increase event count, Raise average per-guest spend, Reduce operating subsidy, Improve F&B margins, Improve premium seating revenue, Secure naming rights
• How do you currently measure guest satisfaction, and do those scores feed into executive reporting? Options: NPS or equivalent reported monthly, Guest surveys but not reported to execs, Ad hoc feedback only, We do not measure guest satisfaction
• Would you accept a base management fee reduction of 20 percent in exchange for incentive fees tied to revenue growth and guest satisfaction? Options: Yes, No, Maybe with caps, Need to model the numbers
• State the minimum subsidy reduction or revenue uplift that would justify changing managers within one fiscal year

What would make you sign this week — pilot, gates, and timeline

• If a pilot demonstrated the modeled uplift, what internal obstacle would still prevent signature within 30 days?
• Describe the acceptance gates you would require for a pilot or phased mobilization, with pass or fail criteria
• How soon after shared financials and a transition plan could you present a recommendation to your approving body? Options: Immediately, Within 2 weeks, Within 1 month, Longer than 1 month
• Point to the top three documents or deliverables that would shorten your internal review from weeks to days
• If we provided references from three similar public owners and a firm fixed mobilization schedule that protects staff and service levels, could your committee sign within one meeting? Options: Yes, No, Maybe with minor revisions, Needs board pre-approval

• Solution Experience — Turnkey Venue Management

• Confirm the current state and its cost to you
• You confirm the current state description and acknowledge the primary cost areas it creates for your team.
• Deliver a modeled forecast using the provided event calendar showing incremental events, per-event revenue uplift, and projected subsidy reduction before the follow-up session.
• Provide the last 12 months event calendar, event-level P&L for the top 10 events, and the most recent guest satisfaction and incident reports.
• Convert a dark date into a revenue event, end-to-end
• You confirm the demonstrated workflows and scenarios eliminate the booking gaps and increase per-event revenue in ways that match your operational constraints.
• Demonstrate per-event revenue uplift using a recent event scenario
• You agree on the specific evidence and artifacts required before advancing to commercial review and procurement (forecast, reference visits, draft contract modules).
• Identify the procurement timeline and approval gates required for a management agreement, including committee meeting dates and any mandatory RFP steps.
• Show maintenance and risk mitigation on a deferred capital item
• Validate the future state
• Agree remaining evidence and next steps toward procurement

• Solution Experience — Turnkey Venue Management
• Solution Experience Deck
• Solution Brief — Turnkey Venue Management

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Active Event Booking and Contracting
• Provide Event Staff and On‑Site Management
• Food & Beverage Operations and Concessions
• Premium Seating Sales and Service
• Sponsorship and Naming Rights Sales
• Parking Operations and Revenue Collection
• Security and Crowd Management
• Facility Maintenance and Systems Repair
• Capital Project Construction Oversight
• Ticketing Operations and Revenue Reconciliation
• Ancillary Event Programming on Dark Dates
• Monthly Financial Reporting and Benchmarking
• Guest Services and Experience Management
• Inventory and Purchasing for F&B and Retail
• Vendor and Contract Administration

Active Event Booking and Contracting

• Do you currently maintain a master event calendar export or booking system we must consume? Options: Yes - cloud calendar export available, Yes - local/calendar file only, No master calendar available
• Which event types produce your highest per-event margin (concerts, conventions, trade shows, collegiate sports, community events)? Options: Concerts, Conventions, Trade shows, Collegiate sporting, Community/municipal events
• How many contracted promoter-held dates do you carry on the books today? Options: 0-10, 11-25, 26-50, 51+
• Who on your side signs event contracts and what contract value or clause thresholds trigger board or legal review?
• Provide the standard event deliverables we must meet (advance schedules, technical riders, load-in windows) for major concert and sports bookings.

Provide Event Staff and On‑Site Management

• How many full-time equivalent (FTE) venue management staff do you expect to retain post-transition? Options: 0-2, 3-5, 6-10, 10+
• Which collective bargaining agreements or union job classifications apply to event staff and what are the key scheduling constraints?
• What are your standard call times and shift rules for custodial, concessions, and security on event days? Options: Standard event call times, Extended pre/post event shifts, Custom schedule - describe
• Do you require use of a named temp-staff agency or are we allowed to source per-event temporary staff? Options: Named agency required, Provider may source temporary staff, Hybrid/conditional
• Which on-site performance metrics should be tracked for staffing (on-time arrival, task completion rate, guest incident response time)? Options: On-time arrival, Task completion rate, Guest incident response time, Other

Food & Beverage Operations and Concessions

• Which point-of-sale and back-office inventory systems must F&B integrate with at go-live? Options: Existing POS (to be integrated), Provider to implement new POS, No POS integration required
• What foodservice outlets must be retained (main concourse stands, premium club kitchens, suite catering, kitchens for banquets)? Options: Main concourse stands, Premium club kitchens, Suite catering, Banquet/catering kitchens
• What per-guest F&B spend and per-event F&B revenue targets should we use to size staffing and inventory? Options: <$10, $10-20, $20-40, $40+
• How many concession and kitchen prep zones exist and what refrigeration or cold-chain holding windows must we observe (hours/temperatures)?
• Which local health department permits, temperature log routines, or HACCP-style documentation must be maintained and handed over? Options: Annual permit + logs, Quarterly inspection schedule, Other - describe

Premium Seating Sales and Service

• How many premium assets are in your inventory (suites, loge boxes, club memberships, premium seat licenses)? Options: 0-10, 11-50, 51-200, 200+
• Who currently manages premium-owner CRM records and renewal cadence?
• What service standards apply to premium seating (dedicated concierge hours, in-seat catering SLA, private entrance access)?
• What gating events trigger premium account activation (deposit received, signed license agreement, ID verification)? Options: Deposit received, Signed license agreement, Board approval required, Other
• Which reporting and revenue recognition rules apply to premium sales (seasonal amortization, upfront fees, commission splits)?

Sponsorship and Naming Rights Sales

• Do you have active sponsorship packages with defined deliverables and activation timelines we must honor? Options: Yes - active packages, Yes - expired/under negotiation, No existing packages
• Which physical and digital assets are available for sponsorship (LED signage locations, concourse branding, event sponsorship tiers, naming rights)? Options: LED signage, Concourse branding, Event sponsorship, Naming rights, Digital inventory
• What minimum guaranteed sponsorship revenue is required by your budget or procurement policy? Options: No minimum, <$50,000, $50,000-$250,000, $250,000+
• Who signs sponsorship contracts and which approvals (legal, procurement, board) are required before activation? Options: Legal counsel, Procurement, Board, Venue manager
• What reporting cadence and activation evidence do you require for sponsors (activation report within 30 days, asset proof, impression logs)? Options: 30 days, 60 days, Quarterly, Custom

Parking Operations and Revenue Collection

• How many parking stalls and lots are in scope and which are gated revenue lots versus open permit lots?
• Which payment and gate systems must be integrated for revenue collection (pay-on-foot, mobile payment provider, RFID/access gates)? Options: Pay-on-foot, Mobile payment, RFID/Access gates, Other
• What current parking rate tiers and dynamic pricing rules apply by event type or peak hour?
• What parking settlement frequency and audit detail do you require (daily cash counts, deposit slips, monthly GL posting)? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly
• Are there third-party parking leases or management agreements that constrain operations or revenue rights? Options: Yes, No

Security and Crowd Management

• Which local public-safety plans or emergency action plans must our security program align with (EAP, crowd manager plan, evacuation maps)?
• How many uniformed security staff are required by event type and who approves final staffing levels?
• Which credentialing and access-control systems are used for staff and contractors (badge system, printed credentials, third-party access control)? Options: Badge system, Printed credentials, Third-party access control, Other
• What incident reporting workflow do you require for security events (standard incident form, police report filing, municipal reporting)? Options: Standard incident form, Police report filing, Custom workflow
• Are there labor or procurement constraints that affect hiring or subcontracting of security staff (local hire rules, union restrictions)? Options: Yes, No

Facility Maintenance and Systems Repair

• Which computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) or asset register should we use to log work orders and parts inventory? Options: Use your existing CMMS, Provider to provision CMMS, No CMMS - manual logs
• What preventive maintenance cycles and uptime thresholds exist for critical systems such as HVAC, roof drains, elevators, and chillers? Options: Manufacturer recommended PMs, Custom PM schedule, No PMs defined
• What maximum mean time to repair (MTTR) thresholds do you require for critical system failures (for example HVAC restored within 8 hours)? Options: 4 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours, Custom
• Who will approve the threshold between operational repair and capital repair in the maintenance plan (facilities director, owner, joint approval)? Options: Facilities director, Owner, Joint approval
• What acceptance criteria will validate completion of the maintenance transition (published asset register, work order closure rate, spare parts inventory handed over)? Options: Signed acceptance by facilities director, Work order completion % threshold, Updated asset register delivered

Capital Project Construction Oversight

• How many active capital projects are in-flight and what are their owner-approved budgets to date?
• Which construction documents will we be provided for oversight (contract drawings, specifications, as-built PDF set)? Options: Full drawing set, Partial drawing set, No documents yet
• What roles do you expect the provider to perform for each project (owner's representative, project manager, commissioning coordinator)? Options: Owner's representative, Project manager only, PM + commissioning coordinator
• Which commissioning, punch-list, and certificate of occupancy steps must be observed before acceptance? Options: Commissioning report required, Punch-list sign-off required, Final CO required
• What objective acceptance evidence will confirm project closeout (approved punch-list, commissioning reports, final lien waivers)? Options: Approved punch-list, Commissioning reports, Final lien waivers

Ticketing Operations and Revenue Reconciliation

• Which ticketing platform and box-office settlement cadence does your venue use today? Options: Cloud-based ticketing, On-premise ticketing, Third-party promoter box office
• What fields and layout must appear on the settlement report (event manifest, comps, tax breakdown, house comps)?
• Which integrations are required for ticketing (POS, CRM, turnstile/access control, parking systems)? Options: POS, CRM, Access control, Parking system
• What reconciliation tolerance and escrow rules must be followed for promoter and third-party settlements? Options: Strict GL match, Tolerance % allowed, Escrow required
• What evidence will validate successful month-end ticketing reconciliation (signed settlement report, GL journal entries, variance within agreed threshold)? Options: Signed settlement report, Posted GL entries, Variance within agreed threshold

Ancillary Event Programming on Dark Dates

• How many dark dates per year are available and which specific spaces (arena bowl, exhibit hall, meeting rooms) are allowed for ancillary bookings?
• Which ancillary event types should be prioritized (community rentals, corporate events, film shoots, festivals)? Options: Community rentals, Corporate events, Film shoots, Festivals
• What minimum revenue or utilization threshold must an ancillary booking meet to be approved (cover direct costs, contribute margin)? Options: Cover direct costs, Cover indirect costs + margin, No minimum
• Who approves use of dark dates and any special insurance or indemnity requirements for third-party organizers? Options: Venue manager, Board, Insurance review required
• What activation support do you require for ancillary events (marketing support, ticketing setup, F&B staffing)? Options: Marketing support, Ticketing setup, F&B staffing, All of the above

Monthly Financial Reporting and Benchmarking

• Which chart of accounts or general ledger mapping must monthly reports adhere to for your finance office?
• Which KPIs and benchmarks do you require each month (event count, revenue per event, departmental P&L, subsidy amount)? Options: Event count, Revenue per event, Departmental P&L, Subsidy amount
• What report format and level of detail do you need (summary financial pack, full departmental P&L, variance analysis to budget)? Options: Summary pack, Full departmental P&L, Custom - describe
• Do you require benchmarking against a peer set and, if so, which comparables should be used (regional venues, similar capacity)? Options: Provider benchmark set, Client-nominated comparables, No benchmarking required

Guest Services and Experience Management

• Which guest satisfaction measures do you currently use (Net Promoter Score, post-event surveys, refund/complaint rates)? Options: Net Promoter Score, Post-event surveys, Refund/complaint rates, Other

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Fee & Incentive Schedule
• Performance Metrics & Incentive Calculation Exhibit
• Governance & Reporting Addendum
• Insurance, Indemnity & Risk Allocation Exhibit
• Procurement & Public-Sector Compliance Rider
• Termination, Transition & Handover Schedule
• Capital Projects & Maintenance Oversight Attachment
• Change Order Agreement
• Procurement Approval Package
• Data Sharing & Systems Access Addendum

• Go-live Health Check (weeks 1-4)
• First Outcomes Review (weeks 4-10)
• Acceptance Gate Review (around day 90)
• Quarterly Business Review (ongoing)

• Update the continuous improvement backlog and assign owners with next-step deliverables and dates.
• Create a booking recovery plan to increase event count on dark dates with dates and outreach owners.
• Schedule targeted F&B staffing changes and supplier adjustments to lift average revenue per event.
• Restate acceptance criteria and numeric targets
• Produce a documented acceptance decision with pass/fail recorded for each Management Scope criterion and capture the named signatory if accepted.
• Confirm that incumbent wind-down tasks are complete or have a binding plan with dates.
• Agree remediation actions and timelines for any unmet criteria so closure is guaranteed by the agreed dates.
• Publish the acceptance decision record with pass/fail per criterion and capture of the named signatory.
• If applicable, archive legacy system data and disable legacy write access per the wind-down plan.
• Create a remediation tracker for any failed criteria with owners and firm resolution dates.
• KPI trends review
• Confirm whether quarterly event count and average revenue per event remain aligned with targets recorded in Management Scope.
• Prioritize capital requests and agree next steps and materials required for buyer approval.
• Ensure all persistent open issues have named owners and realistic resolution dates or are escalated for governance review.
• Publish the quarterly KPI dashboard with commentary on variances and next-quarter targets.
• Submit the prioritized capital request package with cost estimates and timeline to the buyer's approval channel.
• Reconfirm accepted success criteria and owners
• All critical systems and feeds required for operations are confirmed live or have a dated remediation plan.
• Open issue log published with named owners and resolution dates for each critical item.
• Staffing gaps for the next 30 days identified and a temporary staffing plan agreed.
• Publish the go-live issue register with owners and due dates within 24 hours.
• Confirm and circulate access checklist for ticketing, POS, and reporting feeds.
• Produce a short staffing mitigation plan for the next four events.
• Present first-period KPI results
• Determine whether monthly event count and average revenue per event are on track to meet targets recorded in Management Scope.
• Agree a prioritized set of corrective actions with completion dates to close the largest KPI gaps before the acceptance gate.
• Document any data quality gaps in reporting feeds that would impair accurate measurement at day 90.
• Publish a KPI variance report comparing month-to-date metrics to Management Scope targets.
• Present outcome data against each criterion
• Financial performance and operating subsidy review
• Deployment and systems validation
• Diagnose gaps and root causes
• Document pass or fail per criterion and capture acceptance decision
• Staffing and supplier readiness
• Capital requests and project status
• Review guest satisfaction and concession metrics
• Open issues and continuous improvement backlog
• Incumbent wind-down confirmation
• Early adoption and usage signals
• Surface maintenance, staffing, and supplier blockers
• Agree corrective actions and timeline to acceptance gate
• Agree remediation plan for any failed criteria
• Agree quarter action plan and next check-ins
• Open issues, owners, and immediate remediation