Mozingo board views conference center blueprints

Members of the Mozingo Advisory Board reviewed floor plans and policies for the Mozingo Conference Center during their regular meeting March 20.

The layout of the conference center’s first floor includes a large banquet room with a deck overlooking Mozingo Lake.

Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel presented preliminary prices and policies that staff had drafted, which will not be finalized until the Maryville City Council approves them.

The banquet hall can be divided into four separate halls or be combined for one large event. Each space will have projectors, screens and audio equipment.

To rent the full banquet on a weekend, which would hold 500 people, would cost $2,500 plus added-on amenities. For any events that play music, it will be required to rent the dance floor for an additional $150.

Other add-ons include the dressing room for $100 and table linens for $6 each. All tablecloths and table skirts must be rented through the center. Chairs and 60-inch round tables will be also be available for rent.

There will be labor charges for cleaning, setting up events and for having additional staff during the events. If more than two of the four banquet areas are rented, parties will be required to hire security personnel from an approved list provided by the conference center staff.

All events will be charged a kitchen fee regardless of if the kitchen is used. For parties with fewer than 100 guests, precooked food may be brought in. For events serving food to more than 100 guests, it will be required to hire a caterer. A list of caterers who are registered with the conference center will be provided. There will be an additional fee of $75 to use a catering service that is not registered.

All alcohol must be purchased from the conference center and renters can expect to be charged a fee to pay for the labor of the bartenders at their event. There will be two bartenders and two barbacks per event.

All decorating must be done during the normal business hours of 8 am to 5 pm. Any decorating done outside of those time limits will accrue an hourly charge. The only way to guarantee the ability to decorate the day before the event is to rent the facility for both days. All events are to be finished by 1 am.

McDanel said wedding parties could easily spend $5,000 for full use of the facility.

The first floor will hold the banquet halls, catering kitchen offices and extra rooms. The bottom level will be able to store approximately 30 golf carts and will house the golf pro shop and restaurant. McDanel mentioned there could be an indoor putting green or indoor golf simulator added as well. Regular customers will also have the opportunity to store their gear in club lockers.

The bottom floor will hold a 1,400 square-foot golf pro shop, golf cart storage and a restaurant that will seat 150 patrons.

Staff is currently in negotiations with Boulders Inn and Suites to provide a partnership helping all the facilities to run smoothly. The hotel has agreed to provide their hot breakfast to golfers and there is potential for the restaurant housed in the conference center to provide room service to the hotel.

It is expected to have the conference center finished by November 2017. McDanel said they are looking to host a community event at the end of the year and that the center would be available for reservations beginning January 1, 2018.

In other business, it was approved to change the name and focus of the Mozingo Youth Camp to Mozingo Group Camp. The rates for renting cabins one, two, three and four is $50 per night. Cabin five will be $80 per night and a group can rent all of the cabins for $325 per night. The use of the multipurpose building is an additional fee.

Youth groups will receive a 25 percent discount.

There has been an interest to book the camp for weddings. Board members encouraged staff to include a liquor policy for the camp. The policies will be presented to Maryville City Council.