Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 4th Quarter 2019 | Page 88

HOSTING HOLLYWOOD Legal factors to consider before signing a location agreement for your luxury hotel By Elizabeth Martin Colombo What do New York’s Plaza Hotel, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas all have in common? They have all appeared as locations in popular movies. You know you have a beautiful hotel, and the additional revenue, attention and publicity of a movie filming at your property are great too, but here are some important factors to consider before committing to host Hollywood at your luxury hotel: • All That Glitters: Depending on the location and the nature of the filming, some production companies will pay well for the use of your high-end property. Don’t be afraid to ask for a location fee, but recognize that asking too much may easily result in you losing the shoot- particularly if the filming could be shot at a competitor hotel. The location fee is a negotiating point to keep in mind when balancing risks and benefits to your property. 88 ILHA