Town Center Room Reservation Policies
Audiovisual Services
Audiovisual equipment may be added to or removed from your contract by contacting your event coordinator. To assure the best possible service, please have your AV needs and special setup arrangements confirmed three weeks in advance. Please submit any additions to or removals from your AV equipment no later than 10 business days prior to your event. Requests received with fewer than 10 days’ notice may result in an additional fee if we are able to accommodate your request. With our prior approval, you may supply your own audiovisual equipment for use in the facilities, provided that we cannot guarantee, and are not responsible for, the operation or functionality of such equipment or any damage that may occur to the equipment in connection with its use or presence in the facilities.
Catering
All on-site catering is provided by Steenbock’s on Orchard. Any food and beverage service (including alcoholic beverage service) provided in the WARF-owned portions of the facilities is to be arranged through Steenbock’s on Orchard catering. Please contact [email protected] or 608.514.1922. No outside food or beverages may be brought into the Discovery Building.
Damages
You agree not to damage, destroy or deface (including, without limitation, affixing items to walls, floors or ceilings of any room, and taping, nailing or stapling items to any surface) any property in the facilities and agree to be responsible for the cost of repair or replacement of any property damaged, destroyed or defaced by those in attendance.
Deposit Policy
A deposit (equaling the room or event space fee), along with a signed copy of the contract, is due to WARF in order to secure your reservation. We will hold a tentative booking for up to 10 calendar days from the date of this reservation contract without a deposit. The date will be released if we do not receive the deposit and contract within 10 days, unless other arrangements are made in writing with your event coordinator.
The amount of the deposit required will be equal to the amount of the room or event space fee. Deposits and payments may be made in the form of a credit card (MasterCard, Visa), check or funding string.
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. Additional charges may be added to your final invoice issued after your event if additional services are added to your order. Event balance is due within 30 days upon receipt of invoice.
Decorations
Items may not be affixed to walls, windows, floor or ceiling or other surfaces of the facility with tape, sticky adhesive or any material that will damage the surface or leave markings. Banners or posters are not allowed to be hung on the outside of the building. Prohibited items include but are not limited to: confetti, glitter, silly string, helium balloons and rice.
Guest Property
We assume no responsibility for the damage or loss of any merchandise or articles left in the facilities prior to, during or following a reservation.
Late Fee
You agree that any amounts owed under your contract, including, without limitation, reservation fees and amounts owed for any damages to the property, shall be subject to a late fee if a bill remains unpaid past 30 days.
Lab Use Guidelines
All users who reserve Town Center teaching labs must meet the teaching lab eligibility requirements and guidelines and follow safety guidelines.
Miscellaneous Statutes, Rules, Regulations
Clients agree that, in presenting any lecture, meeting or other function, it shall conform to, comply with and abide by all the laws of the United States and the State of Wisconsin, the rules and regulations of all jurisdictional governmental boards and bureaus. Failure to comply with this provision will be grounds for termination of the event.
Sales Tax
If you are exempt from Wisconsin sales tax, you must provide us with a valid Wisconsin Sales Tax Exemption Certificate prior to the reservation’s start date in order to be relieved from paying sales tax. If you are not exempt from Wisconsin sales tax, a 5.5% tax will be charged on any items to which Wisconsin sales tax applies.
Smoking
Smoking is not allowed at any time within the facilities.
Supervision and Conduct
Each client shall be responsible for the supervision and control of their agents, employees, guests and contractors and their activities in the facilities.
Fire Restriction
In compliance with local fire codes, the maximum room occupancy may not exceed the designated room capacity. Tables or chairs cannot be moved so as to block aisles or fire exits.
Force Majeure
We shall not be liable for failure to perform our obligations hereunder if such failure is as a result of an Act of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, snow, public-health emergency, for example, a disease pandemic or outbreak, or other natural event), hostilities, labor dispute, strike, lockout, or interruption or failure of electricity, data connection, telephone service, or other event that results in the closing of University of Wisconsin–Madison facilities. In such event, we will work with you in good faith to reschedule your event at no extra charge to you; provided, however, that if the parties are unable to reach mutual agreement on a reschedule date within 30 days after the original event date, then we shall refund to you all amounts paid to us.
Limitation on Liability
In no case shall we be liable to you for any act or omission relating to this agreement in excess of the amounts we received from you. In no case shall we be liable for consequential damages, exemplary, punitive or special damages, including, but not limited to loss of profits, loss of business opportunities or loss of goodwill, regardless of whether we had been advised of the possibility of such damages or such damages were otherwise foreseeable.
Town Center Guidelines and Information for Room/Space Reservations
Booking Events
Room and event space reservations are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. We do not put holds on rooms. All event requests must be received electronically. Event requests will not be accepted over the phone. Applications for room and event space are accepted up to one year in advance.
Access to Event Spaces
Access to large event and atrium spaces is generally available one hour prior to the start of your event and should be cleared within one hour of the end of your event. If you need additional time for setup or teardown, please contact your event coordinator. In some cases, the room may not be available the full hour before or after your event.
Access to small event spaces including breakout and conference rooms is generally available 15 minutes prior to the start of your event.
Parking Information
Although no parking is available on-site at the Discovery Building, there are three University of Wisconsin-managed lots (lots 17, 20 and 80) nearby. These lots may have available parking for guests/meeting attendees. To learn more about parking options, reserving parking passes and more, please work directly with UW–Madison Transportation Services.
AV and Event Equipment Rental
The Town Center has an array of AV and event equipment available to support your event including audiovisual equipment, poster boards, flip charts and more. Each room and event space has a variety of standard furniture and AV items included, but we can accommodate additional setup, equipment and AV requests for your specific event.