Planning An Event at an Arena or Stadium
Do you have a major corporate event, meeting, social gathering, or even wedding coming up? If you’re expecting a large number of attendees or big-name guests such as top CEOs or even celebrities, then you may want to get creative with where you choose to host your event or meeting. Make an impression on your guests, especially while following COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions, consider renting an arena or stadium to hold your event in. Here’s your complete breakdown on planning an event in an a unique space, like an arena or stadium:
Step 1: Deciding on the budget. Before you even begin to plan your event in a stadium, you’ll need to choose an overall budget for your event. The budget will help you decide on how many people you can invite, how large of a space you’ll need, what type of food and decorations to get, and more. The price will usually fluctuate depending on the size of meeting or event space needed. However, if you need a large space because of a large number of expected guests, or need to book a large outdoor space in an effort to adhere to state or province mandated COVID-19 guidelines, you may want to consider selling tickets for the event. This will allow you to help offset some of the costs.
Step 2: Consider your purpose. Why are you considering different options for stadium rentals for your event? What kind of event are you planning to host? Maybe your event is an elite awards ceremony or maybe it’s a smaller business meeting or even just a fun charity event. When you consider the purpose or the reasoning behind your event, you’ll be better able to choose which arena or stadium is right for you. Some stadiums include formal ballrooms while others may book event space directly on football fields that allow you to welcome guests on the score board. Considering the purpose of your event involves thinking of your event’s theme, the atmosphere, the number of guests, and the types of guests in attendance.
Step 3: Plan the menu (if there is one). Large corporate events or awards ceremonies that honor your company’s employees or business stakeholders should include gourmet dining to match the elite tone of the event. However, if you’re hosting a charity benefit in order to raise money for a children’s hospital or something similar at a football stadium, you may want more casual dining. In this case, fair foods or a series of fun kid-friendly foods like chicken tenders, hot dogs, and mac and cheese may be more appropriate. Catering has become creative these days, with many caterers and food service vendors opting for "take out" style containers to keep food safe during pandemic-friendly events. This is a great opportunity to brand your take out boxes to make your meeting or event more memorable.
Step 4: Setting it all up. Now let’s consider the factors involved with setting everything up. Some stadiums will provide party or event planners to help you with the set up. This will include setting up tables, decorations, chairs, and more. As for the decorations, think back to your event’s theme. Formal corporate events and business meetings should have minimal decorations that focus on simplicity and elegance. However, if you’re expecting more families and children, you should have more fun decorations to draw the attention of your guests and to help create a more fun and laid back atmosphere. Think about incorporating sports themed decorations like baseball bats, balls, or helmets to hold flowers as a centerpiece.
Stadium events are always memorable and a unique option to consider while planning a large-scale event in 2021. Planning a large-gathering? Click here to submit an RFP for one of our arena or stadium venues.