Rental FAQs

Date Requests 

How Soon May LPAT Dates Be Requested?

LPAT date requests dates are accepted any time, even years in advance. Please submit your requests as early as possible because priority is given to the earliest requests. Please note that a requested date is not the same as a penciled date or a reserved date. Dates may be penciled and reserved only after availability is confirmed (see next question).

When Do Requested Dates Become Penciled Dates or Reserved Dates?

Assuming dates less than one year away are available, they may usually be penciled and reserved right after being requested.

However, requests for dates within a coming school season usually require time to confirm. This is because the local school district has first priority over dates within school seasons (late August through late May) which they submit to us no later than February prior to the coming season.

To increase the odds of getting available dates, we recommend requesting multiple workable dates for your event.

What If Two or More Organizations Request the Same Date?

1. If a date is not pending the next school district schedule (see previous question), but is simply penciled by an organization, it may be challenged by any other organization. When a challenge is issued, the penciled organization must choose to either A) reserve (pay for) the date or B) release the date. If the penciled organization releases the date, the challenging organization reserves the date.

2. If a date is pending the next school district schedule, then requests are stacked in the order received. Once availability is confirmed, the date is offered to the organization that submitted the earliest request. That organization may reserve (pay for) the date. If they opt to release the date or only pencil the date, then the offer to challenge or reserve is passed to the next organization in line.

Are Requests Accepted for "Patterns" of Dates Into the Indefinite Future?

Yes. Simply let us know the range of workable dates you desire every year. For example, the "last weekend in March" or "any weekend between the second-to-last weekend in April and the third weekend in May" are valid requests.

What About Short-Notice Requests?

Date requests may be processed with as little as six weeks advance notice. Depending on circumstances, requests may sometimes be granted with less notice, but higher rates and certain restrictions likely apply.

Reservations 

Is the Reservation Payment an Extra Charge?

No. The payment received for each date is credited toward the final charges accrued on that date.

What Is the Reservation Payment?

Essentially, it is ‘cancellation insurance’ for you and a deposit for the LPAT. 

  • LPAT guarantees not to cancel your reserved date or give it to any other organization - even if they are planning a much bigger or longer-running event.
  • It also is represents a commitment by you to run your event on the requested dates.

    COMPARISON. Imagine you manage a catering company. Your company is hired by another company for their big New Year's Eve party. But, on short notice, the other company cancels their party. Now, you cannot get hired on New Year's Eve, because everyone else already picked their caterer long ago. This is why date-based businesses have cancellation policies. LPAT is similar.

Can a Reservation Payment Be 'Moved' or 'Transferred' From One Date to Another Date?

No, because those expressions really mean that an organization is attempting to cancel a reserved date and get a credit for canceling. Every cancelled date is a significant loss (see above).

If We Cancel a Reserved Date, How Much of the Reservation Payment Will Be Refunded?

Time is of the essence. Any refund given is based on the amount of advance written notice provided, as shown below:

If cancellation notice is received, and the reserved date is…
Or if the Reservation was just paid, and cancellation notice is received…
Percent of Reservation refunded
More than 18 months away
Within 7 days
100%
More than 15 months away
Within 14 days
75%
More than 12 months away
Within 21 days
50%
More than 9 months away
Within 28 days
25%
Less than 9 months away
Over 28 days
0%


Rental Costs 

Are Reduced Rates Available for Nonprofit Organizations?

Rates are the same for all organizations.

Are Technicians an Extra Charge?

  • Every LPAT rental includes one lighting tech (no extra charge).
  • If you opt to rent LPAT's audio system rather than bring your own, one audio tech is included (no extra charge).
  • If you request rigging work or a light focus, the techs handling those tasks are included (no extra charge).
  • If you request live operation of the fly system or additional techs for unusual tasks, an hourly charge applies for each.

Do I Get Credit for a Referral?

Yes. Organizations that previously rented LPAT receive a $400 credit for each new organization they refer to LPAT. There is no limit to the number of credits that may be earned.

How is a referral credit earned?

  • The referred organization, and their key personnel, must be completely new to LPAT.
  • The new organization must inform us that the referral is yours; or, you may inform us in writing that the referral is yours before the new organization’s event is posted on LPAT's public calendar.
  • The credit will be added to your account after the new organization’s event has been completed. 

Once earned, the credit may be:

  • Applied toward the final charges of your next completed (un-canceled) LPAT event
  • Given as a gift by you, in whole or part, to any other organization
  • Used up to 2 years after the credit is received
  • Combined with other credits

The credit may not be:

  • Applied toward a Reservation Payment
  • Used to create a cash refund
  • Applied to an event which ended before the credit was awarded

Other Questions

Can the LPAT Assist With Marketing?

Yes. The following marketing services are available at no charge:

  • Your event and website included on our “Coming Events” webpage
  • Your posters and flyers displayed in our lobby, beginning about 3 weeks in advance
  • We can proof your press release and suggest possible adjustments before distribution

What If an Organization Changes Their Timetable On Short-notice?

If you request to alter your Timetable less than three weeks before your event, it is considered a “short notice” request. (See your LPAT Rental Agreement for more detail.) There is typically no issue if a short notice request only involves shortening a Rental Period or reducing desired pieces of equipment. However, a request made on short notice to enter LPAT earlier than scheduled it is usually not possible. By this point, LPAT personnel have already been hired and confirmed for specific work hours.

May Organizations Use the Hallways and Vestibules Next to the LPAT?

On each side of the LPAT (west and east), there is one hallway and one vestibule. All four of these passageways are official fire exits for the entire building. They are not part of the LPAT. They must always remain passable. There is no ‘private use’ of these spaces. All persons inside Liberty Center, including those in wheelchairs, must be able to get through these spaces quickly at any time without obstruction. This is especially critical when crowds are gathered.

Does the LPAT Co-Promote Events?

Usually, no. However, the LPAT may consider serving as a co-promoter with the producer of a major public event. In this relationship, the LPAT charges no fees for any of its services. Rather, an agreement will be made to split the gross event revenue. Expenses covered by the LPAT typically include the venue, the technical staff, the box office staff, the cleaning staff, and the basic stage equipment. Expenses covered by the producer typically include the production itself, the marketing, and the non-technical production staff. To qualify for co-promotion consideration, the event must meet the following criterion:

  1. Be a complete, high-quality production that has wide public appeal and acceptance (generally without age restriction)
  2. Be produced by an established organization with a history of quality live events
  3. Provide justifiable reason why financial balance (break even or better) should be expected
  4. Fit well on the LPAT calendar, with at least 6 months lead time
  5. Be within the LPAT’s ability to cover the event’s need for space and technical amenities

May Organizations Sell Goods and Services During Their Events?

Yes, but with certain restrictions. The sale of any consumables (food, drink, candy) may take place only within meeting rooms. The setup and operation of non-food ‘sales booths’ are permitted in additional locations depending on their size. Here are some options:

  1. Setup in one or more meeting rooms. Sales booths may be any size. The only charge is for the meeting rooms themselves, regardless of how many sales displays are setup in the rooms.
  2. Setup in LPAT, in the house. There is no charge, but aisle space available for sales is quite limited.
  3. Setup in LPAT, onstage. There is no charge, and the stage is larger than any of the meeting rooms; but, obviously, sales must happen before or after the onstage attraction takes place.
  4. Setup in LPAT, backstage. There is no charge and a reasonable amount of space, especially in the large upper dressing room, but most organizations choose to use backstage space for their talent and crew rather than sales displays.
  5. Setup in the VIP Lobby. LPAT's 'mini lobby' inside the lower east VIP Entryway may be used for one or two small scale sales displays.