Renting the Trotter Convention Center and its many amenities could come at a higher cost if the city council approves a new public facilities policy on Tuesday.

Director Rogena Bonner presented the policy change to the council Wednesday during a work session. It includes new fees for certain amenities at the convention center, like access to the kitchen, dressing rooms and courtyards.

“Some of those amenities were coming along with the actual reservation, and in my research with other convention centers and venues, they are actually charging for these amenities,” Bonner told the mayor and council. “I think it’s time we start to charge (for) some of these amenities too.”

The current rental policy for the Trotter includes a flat rate of $1,550 per day on weekends and $1,250 per day on weekdays for the upper level. The lower level of the center and Regal Hall can be rented at slightly smaller rates.

Under the new policy, Regal Hall is the only venue space that would see an increase to the rental rate, going from $500 per day on weekends and $400 per day on weekdays to $600 and $500, respectively.

If the new policy is approved, lessees will pay extra fees for access to certain spaces like the upper level courtyard – $450 on weekdays with a 4-hour maximum – or the two lower-level dressing rooms for $200.

Those increases also extend to a variety of amenities for events that were previously provided for free by the Trotter, like ice, tables and chairs.

Groups rent the Trotter for a variety of events, from weddings, concerts and sporting events to fundraisers for nonprofits that often sell tickets per table.

“If you’ve got 60 tables, and at 60 tables, they’re charging (attendees) $7 a bucket for ice, that’s a lot of money that they’re pocketing,” Bonner said Wednesday. “… I’m sure we’re not supposed to make money, but it’s getting a little excessive.”

“Not supposed to lose any money either,” City Attorney Jeff Turnage said in response.

Under the new policy, access to the center’s kitchen and ice supply would run about $350 on top of the rental fee for the full upper or lower levels. Access to only ice would cost $125. Ice for Regal Hall events would cost $25.

The proposed policy has a number of fees for different materials, ranging from $5 per chair, to $10 per table to $150 for floor risers or $125 for the piano.

That’s in part, Bonner said, because the center has had issues with certain items – currently not charged for – disappearing after lessees use them for events, specifically mentioning dollies and commercial warmers as examples. Those would cost $15 and $40 each, respectively, under the new policy.

Higher pay for off-duty officers

The city currently requires off-duty Columbus police officers on site to provide security for events at the Trotter where alcohol is served, on top of lessees providing their own security.

The off-duty officers, under the current policy, are paid $20 per hour for their service, with those funds coming from the city’s overtime budget. The new policy would pass that cost onto the lessee and up the pay to $35 an hour.

“I’m proposing we have our lessees pay that amount when they sign their contracts to rent, whether it be the Trotter Convention Center or Regal Hall,” Bonner said. “That way, the cost will be coming directly from the lessee instead of the city of Columbus.”

During the work session, Police Chief Joseph Daughtry was on board with the increased pay for off-duty officers working events with alcohol.

“At some point, in light of what’s going on across the country, these folks are making money off the Trotter,” Daughtry said. “They’re making good money off the Trotter, off the city,” Daughtry said to the council. “At some point, public safety is going to have to be a priority.”

McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.

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