Assume that you are the Food and Beverage Director at a full-service 1000-room hotel in Boston. Your General Manager, Mr. Pelletier, is planning to have a large event centered around this year’s Super Bowl. As the F&B director, you are an integral part of the event planning committee. The New England Patriots is one of the teams playing, so fan interest is very high. The hotel is fully booked with fans. (over 1500 guests)

Mr. Pelletier proposes an event that will be held in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom, which can hold 500 people. The festivities will begin at 3:00 P.M. on Super Bowl Sunday, with the televised pregame show, a darts tournament, and a Mexican food buffet. At 6:30 P.M., the game is to be shown on five 60-inch TV screens that will be placed around the ballroom. The Chief Maintenance Engineer has assured Mr. Peterson that the sets can be mounted on the ballroom’s walls. The evening will conclude with a postgame “victory” party, which will end around midnight

During one of the planning meetings, the discussion centers on the admission price that will be charged. The issue of reserved seating is raised by Roberta Allision, Director of Sales and Marketing. She believes that corporate clients of the hotel will be more inclined to attend if they can be assured good seats near the large-screen televisions. (guests that are staying pay no admission)

As a hospitality professional, what is the most important issue must you consider prior to finalizing this Super Bowl party event?

What are the responsibilities of the management team in this scenario regarding the guests that are staying in the hotel? Do you think that their guest status trump the corporate clients? Why or why not?