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Skift
20-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
In a World of Uncertainty, Contracts Are Event Planners' First Line of Defense
Event organizers can't control global crises, but they can control their contracts, which are now a critical first line of defense. Who's on the hook when a big event gets canceled: The planner or the venue? The question is coming up more and more as global instability reshapes the landscape for meetings and events. Trybe, a women-focused conference, canceled its inaugural May event in Las Vegas, citing pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Air Force canceled its 2025 Life Cycle Industry Days conference in March. The Georgia Public Health Association canceled its 2025 conference in February. These are just a few cancellations tied to the political shift. Industry leaders expect more. Airtight contracts have never been more important. In addition to a solid contract is a clearly stated 'purpose of the event,' said Heather Reid, independent event planner, event contract expert, and founder of Planner Protect Inc. This is a summary outlining objectives, audience, and programming. 'If the primary specified success factors have been prevented from being achieved for reasons beyond the control of the event organizer and/or the supplier partner, the organizer's legal counsel can reference the summary document to justify termination,' Reid said. 'It sets the foundation for contract clauses to apply if cancellation or disruption occurs.' Reid shared the following example: ABC 2026 is the association's flagship event. It includes a two-day educational conference, tradeshow, and off-site evening events. An annual event, it gathers association members who are healthcare professionals and their families, ABC staff and families, and sponsors and exhibitors. The conference is financially reliant on revenues generated from sponsorship, exhibitor fees, and attendee registration fees. It's not viable if any of these revenue sources are significantly compromised. Continuity, rescheduling, cancellations, and alternative arrangements must also be clearly defined in contracts. Build in Flexibility or Pay the Price Jonathan Howe, legal expert, president, and founding partner of Howe & Hutton, urges planners to prepare for disruptions. He recommends adding 'frustration of purpose' clauses. They excuse a party from contractual obligations when unforeseen events undermine the agreement's core purpose. 'The event must be outside the parties' control, not due to either party's fault, and not a risk that was assumed when the contract was made,' Howe said. He also advises including clauses to address price volatility. But getting those protections isn't easy. 'Hotels and suppliers typically expect groups to bear the risks alone,' said Joshua Grimes, attorney with Grimes Law Offices. 'They push back on 'frustration of purpose' clauses unless planners insist on them from the start — ideally by making them 'must-haves' in the RFP.' Ultimately, a well-crafted contract, backed by purpose-driven documentation, can be the difference between a manageable disruption and a costly legal or financial crisis.
The Herald Scotland
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Judicial review call as Flamingo Land Lomond Banks approved
What's clear is the sense of shock felt by some in the community. Balloch and Haldane Community Council expressed 'deep disappointment and outrage' and called for an emergency meeting of all key stakeholders and political representatives. Alannah Maurer of Save Loch Lomond described it as an 'affront to democracy'. But it is not necessarily over. At least one option now remains through which approval can be opposed – a judicial review, petitioned by the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA), the planning authority which rejected it in September last year. LLTNPA are standing by their decision. Dr Heather Reid, Convener of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority Board, said: 'We acknowledge the notification from the Scottish Government Reporter that he is minded to allow the appeal and grant Planning Permission in Principle for the Lomond Banks tourism development in Balloch. 'We stand by the reasons for the Board's unanimous decision to refuse this planning application and it is deeply disappointing that the Reporter has taken a different view. We will now take some time to go through the report and to understand its implications.' But will the National Park authority petition fight this decision? National Parks campaigner and author of the ParkswatchScotland blog, Nick Kempe, has called on the park authority 'to petition for judicial review'. Kempe, who believes that one of the reasons that the reporter made this decision is 'because the LLTNPA's reasons for rejecting the application were so weak', says: 'If they want to now show faith as a National Park, they need to challenge this decision. They now need to start behaving like a National Park and challenge this decision.' Artist's impression of Lomond Banks (Image: Lomond Banks) Other avenues for fighting the development appear to have now closed. Scottish Government ministers can no longer call in and overturn it because the window, before the Reporter makes a decision, for doing this has passed. That ministers failed to call it in has infuriated some campaigners. Alannah Maurer of Save Loch Lomond said: 'The Scottish Government should have called it in before the reporter made this decision. They had all the tools in the box and chose not to use them. It's cowardice. They don't want to use them. Now the only option is a judicial review. It's an affront to democracy. The SNP have abdicated responsibility.' Read more from Vicky Allan: The resort, comprising woodland lodges, hotels, monorail, waterpark and other facilities, has often been described as the 'most objected to' planning application in history due to the over 150,000 objection signatures gathered through a petition portal. Lomond Banks, the resort's developer, owned by the Yorkshire theme park operator Flamingo Land, had appealed the rejection by LLTNPA and responded to the decision with delight. Jim Paterson, Development Director for Lomond Banks, said: 'This is a real milestone moment for the Lomond Banks vision, and has been a long time in the making." Lynne Somerville, director of Loch Lomond South Community Development Trust (Image: Colin Mearns) Meanwhile, the decision has a potential negative impact on plans which have been developed by Balloch and Haldane Community Council (BHCC) and The Loch Lomond South Community Development Trust. A planning application has already been submitted for the temporary asset transfer of the Tourist Information Building and relationships developed with partners. 'This is not just a bad planning decision," a spokesperson for BHCC said, "it is a fundamental failure of democracy and policy, This decision rides roughshod over the principles of community empowerment, environmental protection, and democratic accountability. 'Our community, through proper statutory channels, objected in strong and clear terms. The will of the people has been ignored.' READ MORE: The Loch Lomond South Community Development Trust has said it will move forward with developing a positive, community-led alternative for the site — one that reflects 'local values, protects natural heritage, and promotes sustainable, inclusive tourism". 'This is about more than just opposing a development,' said a Trust spokesperson. 'It's about creating a future that reflects the true spirit of Loch Lomond — one led by the people who live here, not imposed from above.' 'We are not backing down,' BHCC added. 'The gloves are off. This is our community, our land, and our future — and we will fight for it.'
