2. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTATION 2
BARN ON THE RIDGE 3
KEY COMPETITORS 5
MAJESTIC ESTATE 5
THE PZAZZ CONVENTION AND EVENT CENTER 5
THE HOWARD JOHNSON HOTEL 5
THE COMFORT INN AND SUITES 6
THE MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM 6
AIRPORT ROAD VINEYARD AND WINERY 6
BURLINGTON GOLF CLUB 6
MINOR COMPETITORS 7
HIBERNIA HALL 7
BIG MUDDIES 7
THE DRAKE 7
COMPARISON OF RATES WITH COMPETITOR’S RATES 8
APPENDIX 10
3. 2
SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTATION
Did you create this project independently, or did you work on a team?
I worked independently on this project, however my supervisor, Jennifer Glendening, directed me
towards the companies that she felt were in direct competition with Barn on the Ridge.
What steps did you take to complete the project? Did you have to conduct any research?
Initially, I spoke with my boss to see who she felt were the direct competitors to Barn on the Ridge.
Once I was able to identify the companies I needed to research, I found my information through venue
websites. What information I was unable to find, I contacted venues directly to finish my research.
What programs and/or resources did you use?
My boss allowed me to use her initial business plan for Barn on the Ridge to help me get a little more
information on the venue and what purpose it is meant to serve. I also used the internet to find
information on competitors.
How will your organization/company utilize your project?
Barn on the Ridge will be able to utilize this project by being able to easily access, prices, service
offerings, location, and guest feedback compared to its competitors.
What feedback did you receive from your supervisor about your final project?
Jennifer was very pleased with my research and detail that I put into my final project. She was glad that I
chose to do my final project over the local competitor’s for both the barn and for myself. She is now
able to keep up with her competitors and I have an idea of what other venues around the area charge
and their reputation.
4. 3
BARN ON THE RIDGE
Barn on the Ridge provides extraordinary experience in a similar atmosphere, and is ideal for weddings,
banquets, corporate events, and holiday parties.
Conveniently located three miles north of Burlington and three miles off of Highway 61, Barn on the
Ridge offers a 7400 square foot facility with 6000 square feet dedicated to the banquet area. The
interior of the banquet room is lined with a rustic cedar wood and stone; the floor is a polished stained
concrete. While the facility will carry the appearance of a beautify rustic barn, it will also offer the
amenities of a modern banquet facility to include air conditioning and heat, stylish bathrooms, elegant
lighting, sound system, banquet tables and chairs, linen napkins, tablecloths, and tasteful tableware,
flatware, and glasses. They also provide a private dressing area and bathroom for the bridal party.
Barn on the Ridge not only offers a unique experience, but it also unique in that the client has the ability
to choose the caterer and beverage supplier, without the typical mark-up and menu limitations of a
banquet facility. This will enable the client more freedom when it comes to choosing what food to serve
and the beverages they provide for their guests. Barn on the Ridge also offers a large prep kitchen for
catering staff.
In addition to the banquet facility, Barn on the Ridge offers an outdoor amphitheater [see Figure 2 in
Appendix] Created with natural stone and complete with guest seating, the amphitheater offers the
perfect location for an outside wedding with a breathtaking view of the pond, timber, and agricultural
fields. The amphitheater also offers an ideal location for an outdoor concert, play, or presentation. The
amphitheater is excavated and landscaped with large natural stone to provide terraced rows of seating
that will overlook the state stamped concrete circular patio [see Figure 3 for aerial view of the venue].
Barn on the Ridge will offer a rustic yet elegant reception and banquet facility with seating for up to 390
guests [see Figure 4]. Barn on the Ridge provides round tables with white, 90 inch table clothes and
chairs as well as tasteful tableware for dining [see Figure 5]. They are also equipped with a sound system
and microphone, projector, screen, large prep kitchen and modern bathrooms.
Customer services will include set up of tables and chairs for the reception and amphitheater, cleaning
of the facility, tableware and linens.
Products and Services
7400 square foot facility with 6000 square foot banquet area
72 inch round tables and white vinyl chairs for guest seating
Rectangular tables for food service, head table, gift table, cake table, etc.
White china, silver flatware, and 5 options of drinking goblets (water goblet, coffee cup, Mason
jar, 5 oz. wine glass, and an 8 oz. wine glass.
White table linens and linen napkins
Spacious bathrooms and bridal suite
Prep kitchen for catering staff
5. 4
2016 PRICES
Monday – Thursday: $300-$1000
Weekday rentals depend on the type of event, number of guests, and duration of event
*Excludes holidays*
Friday Rental Fee: 1800.00
If Friday is only reserved for decorating purposes then the price will be reduced to $600.
Saturday Rental Fee: $2750.00
Sunday’s on holiday weekends will be $1500.00
Outdoor Amphitheater Fee: $600.00
Indoor Wedding Fee: $300.00
Full Access Thursday – Sunday with amphitheater: $3900.00
Table Linens
90 inch round linens: $8.00
Floor length rectangular linens (for 8 ft. tables): $16.00
Place Settings: $1.75/person
(1 dinner plate, 1 small plate, dinner fork, salad fork, spoon, knife, and 2 of the 5 glassware options)
6. 5
KEY COMPETITORS
MAJESTIC ESTATE
Majestic Estate is a new addition to the Burlington area. It is located in downtown Burlington on
Washington Street in place of the old art center. This venue offers a historic touch of downtown
Burlington to any event. Majestic Estate can accommodate for 150 guests, less than half of what Barn on
the Ridge is capable of. Clients are welcome to choose their catering and bar options for their event and
Majestic Estate will assist in planning of events booked there for an additional fee. While they may plan
events for their venue, currently there isn’t a traveling wedding planner for this area. With Majestic
Estate being an older, historic venue it does come with a few constructive flaws that may not be ideal to
some potential clients. The venue sits on the side of a hill which requires nearly two and a half sets of
stairs for guests to enter the building [see Figure 6]. These narrow, brick stairs may cause a safety risk to
children, elderly guests, and those who have overconsumed alcohol; the stairs could also be a hazard for
anyone with a physical or mental impairment. These are only concerns during ideal wedding weather,
winter brings its own set of hazards. If not carefully attended to, snow and ice could become a safety
issue for anyone attending an event during the winter months. With Majestic Estate being located
downtown and not possessing a specific parking lot, there is an issue with parking for guests. Most
parking stalls have a 2-4 hour limit, but if not they are on a hill or located a few blocks away.
PZAZZ CONVENTION AND EVENT CENTER
The Pzazz Convention and Event Center is located on Roosevelt Avenue in Burlington, Iowa. Its
competitive advantages include its location within a hotel with rooms for guests on site. It also provides
a casino for after hour entertainment. Its disadvantages for a potential client are being restricted to the
Pzazz banquet menu as well as their food and beverage prices. These significant markups result in nearly
double the cost of food and beverage in contrast to comparable food and beverage options from local
reputable caterers (e.g. Hy-Vee). The Pzazz Convention Center banquet facilities offer a similar
experience found at other local hotel banquet facilities and lack unique qualities.
Pzazz does offer two lodging options for their complex, however because Pzazz is categorized as a small
resort, it does draw many out-of-town guests for sporting events, travel, family reunions, etc. Due to the
excessive amount of guests at the Pzazz convention center it does create an issue for booking rooms for
weddings. Unless guests book nearly a year in advance it may be difficult to reserve a room/room block
for a weekend, especially during wedding season. As mentioned previously, Pzazz is a small resort and is
often recognized as a place for “family entertainment”. There are often many kids and young adults that
roam around the complex. However, kids aren’t the only ones that walk around. Many guest reviews,
both online and in person, state that because the event center is connected with the rest of the complex
and the casino, there are many party crashers that enter freely into the wedding reception [see Figure
7]. Although there are plenty of security guards around the premises, they do not guard the doors into
the reception space.
7. 6
THE COMFORT INN AND SUITES
The Comfort Inn and Suites, located on Highway 61, is on the south end of Roosevelt in Burlington. The
Comfort Inn’s advantage is being a hotel and offering onsite rooms for guests. The disadvantages are
similar to the Pzazz banquet facilities in that the restricted menu will result in food and beverage costs
approximately double that of local reputable caterers, and it offers that common experience found in
other hotel receptions and banquets. Although the staff and rooms are welcoming, Comfort Inn and
Suites is far from any other food or entertainment options.
THE HOWARD JOHNSON HOTEL
The Howard Johnson Hotel is located on Mount Pleasant Street in Burlington, Iowa. Its competitive
advantages is it provides lower prices and clients are able to bring in their own catering options. It is also
a hotel with rooms on site for guests. The disadvantages are the banquet facility and hotel rooms are
dated and show wear. The Howard Johnson Hotel banquet facilities would be considered lower end in
comparison to The Pzazz and Comfort Inn and Suites and offers a common experience. Because of the
poor maintenance, The Howard Johnson has gained a poor reputation and many caterers refuse to cater
there.
THE MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
The Memorial Auditorium is located in downtown Burlington on the riverfront. The advantage to this
location is it provides a beautiful view of the Mississippi River. One disadvantage is that it is not ideal to
rent during flood season, which recently has caused numerous conflicts with scheduled events [see
Figures 8 and 9]. It is also a very large room that was not designed for receptions and gives an awkward
feel to receptions and banquets. The Memorial Auditorium was able to be competitive due to being city
owned and offering low prices, however there is a recent plan by the city to privatize management of
the Auditorium which will likely result in significant price increases and many contract changes.
Although there is ample parking, the space is outdated, lacks modern fixtures, and does not add to an
event’s overall theme.
AIRPORT ROAD VINEYARD AND WINERY
The Airport Road Vineyard and Winery is located in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, roughly 25 minutes away
northwest of Burlington. The advantage is it has its own unique country setting with a quaint vineyard as
the backdrop. They provide one of a kind atmosphere in a barn like facility. The facility is smaller than
the Barn on the Ridge and offers a much less refined finish.
BURLINGTON GOLF CLUB
The Burlington Golf Club is located on Sunnyside Avenue in Burlington. The advantage is it is a high class
private club with fine dining and a beautiful facility. The BGC has been around for over 116 years so it is
a well-known establishment and it historic in the city of Burlington. The disadvantage if that a client
must either be a member, or be sponsored by a member, to host an event at this location. This could
pose a problem if you did not know anyone that was a member. The BGC also has a maximum capacity
of 250 people, which could be considered on the small side for a banquet facility. The BGC also allows 6
hours for an event and then adds an additional charge after that. There are also additional fees for non-
8. 7
members and a rental charge for audiovisual equipment. Clients must also get all food and beverage
through the club.
Minor competitors
HIBERNIA HALL
Hibernia Hall is located on Washington Street in Burlington, Iowa. There is little to no information
available on this venue due to the infrequent use of the space and limited business hours. The venue
possesses a parking lot that is estimated to only fit 25 cars comfortably. Hibernia Hall is also very
outdated and poorly maintained.
BIG MUDDY’S
Big Muddy’s is located on the Burlington River Front on North Front Street in Burlington. The Banquet
Room at Big Muddy’s is available for room rental for all occasion. Their website states that they can host
large or small parties, however the maximum head count for a comfortable party would be no more
than 60. Big Muddy’s does have a small space off of the main restaurant that can be sectioned off with a
curtain, however it doesn’t create an individual event aside from the typical dining guests. They do offer
full-service catering for the Banquet Room rom small appetizers, buffets, seating plate served meals,
and a fully stocked bar to service the room. The event coordinator/bar manager at the space is
disorganized and fails to prepare a staff for even the smallest events. Room set ups are often not done
until an hour before an event is set to start giving clients minimal set up time.
THE DRAKE
The Drake is also located on the River Front just south of Big Muddy’s. The Drake has three private
dining rooms, in different sizes that can be used for special occasions. The Drake does not have a rental
fee for the rooms, however they ask that clients spend a minimum dollar amount to be able to use the
room. If the three rooms were utilized, The Drake would not be able to accommodate for more than 140
people (including a head table for a wedding reception). The Drake does cater and offer full-service staff,
but there are many complaints around the area that the waiting staff is not professionally trained and
the wait for food is extensive.
9. 8
COMPARISON OF RATES WITH COMPETITOR’S RATES
The following section explains each of the competitor’s prices. Information was obtained by contacting
local competitor’s directly. Comfort Suites and Pzazz event center’s rates were both sent via email and
Burlington Golf Club’s rates were found on their website. The scenario was set as if it were for a
wedding of 250 with 3 kegs of beer and a per plate fee for 8 hours.
BURLINGTON GOLF CLUB:
$18.00 per plate x 250 people $4500.00
$230 x 3 kegs of beer $690.00
$100.00 x extra 2 hours $200.00
$5390.00
Gratuity 18% +$970.20
$6360.20
Non-member set up fee $250.00
TOTAL = $ 6610.20
If paying with credit card x 3% $198.31
TOTAL = $6808.51
PZAZZ EVENT CENTER:
$19.00 per plate x 250 people $4750.00
$259 x 3 kegs of beer $777.00
$5527.00
18% gratuity of total $994.86
food and liquor
7% sales tax $386.89
TOTAL = $6908.75
BARN ON THE RIDGE:
Hy-Vee catering $15.00 per plate x 250 people $3750.00
Kegs from Hy-Vee 125.00 x 3 $375.00
*Linens $8 x 27 tables $216.00
for guests (optional)
*Linens $16 x 6 rectangular tables $96.00
for food and head table (optional)
*Place settings $1.75 x250 (optional) $437.50
*Room rental for Saturday $2750.00
TOTAL = $7624.50
10. 9
Asterisks show optional choices. Clients are more than welcome to bring in other linens and or use any
kind of covering of their choice. Barn on the ridge also offers the option for clients to use white china
place settings, goblets, and silverware with an additional cleaning fee or clients can provide their own
disposable option.
For this comparison, barn on the ridge chose their Saturday only fee to make for a fair comparison. For
an additional $1200.00, barn on the ridge offers an all-inclusive package which would provide the
outdoor amphitheater for a beautiful wedding ceremony. If also offer clients the facility for four days,
which would provide a relaxing environment as they plan for their special event. The all-inclusive option
also allows clients to host a rehearsal dinner at barn on the ridge the night before their big day. The
other facilities do not offer clients an additional day to pick up decorations, all items must be removed
the same night of the event which can make for a rushed, stressful day.
11. 10
APPENDIX
Figure 1: Front View of Barn on the Ridge
Figure 2: Back view of Barn on the Ridge with Amphitheater seating set up
Figure 3: Aerial view of the venue and property
12. 11
Figure 4: Inside view of Barn on the Ridge set up for a wedding Reception
Photo By: Carter Photography
Figure 5: Set up for 280 with white linens, flatware and glassware settings, and new hanging light option
13. 12
Figure 6: Majestic Estate, front view with stone stair case
Figure 7: Green area depicts the convention and event center. This figure shows how easily guests from the casino, spa, and
hotel have easy access to any events taking place.
14. 13
Figure 8: Front view of the Memorial Auditorium during ideal river conditions
Figure 9: Memorial Auditorium near the top left corner, can be seen to be surrounded by water from the river
