Board working page for the 127th Army-Navy Game watch party. Documents, the numbers, and what needs a decision.
The proposal is written for Dec 13, 2026, which is a Sunday. The game is Saturday Dec 12. The contract must say 12 December.
The proposal says 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Kickoff is noon and the game runs to roughly 15:30. Ask for the full 09:00–16:00 fantail block (it is priced as one block) and plan guest hours of 11:00–16:00.
The proposal estimates 300 guests. IOWA's in-house catering menu states a 200 guest maximum. Confirm with Kevin Borough that Vicky's Doghouse can serve 250–300, or plan on a curated outside caterer for the main meal.
The proposal still lists Paris as contact. Have it re-issued to the chapter with Ron as the point of contact and the chapter's legal name for the contract and certificate of insurance.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fantail steel deck, weekend block 09:00–16:00 | $2,000.00 |
| Additional hosted bar (F&B labor) | $792.00 |
| IOWA security, 2 staff × 8 h @ $60 | $480.00 |
| Event porter, 4 h @ $60 | $240.00 |
| Tablecloths, 25 @ $10 (25 round tables and 250 chairs included at no charge) | $250.00 |
| A/V production (LED wall included at no charge) | $200.00 |
| Service fee | $158.40 |
| Event total | $4,120.40 |
| Optional: certificate of insurance through IOWA's special-event policy | $107.00 |
Terms: refundable security deposit plus 50% of the contract at signing; final balance and the certificate of insurance due 30 days before the event (by 12 November). Check, or card via Square with a 3% fee. Parking in the Port of LA lot is first hour free, then $2/h to a $24 max; validated parking can be arranged. IOWA contact on the proposal: Hall Roosevelt, hroosevelt@labattleship.com. Corporate relations: Kevin Borough, kborough@labattleship.com, 703-401-2706.
Chicken or carne asada fajitas, $27/head, buffet with rice, beans, tortillas. Plus a 20% service fee and California sales tax. Kevin suggests appetizer trays first, then the fajitas to match last year.
| 250 guests | Est. |
|---|---|
| Fajita buffet 250 × $27 | $6,750 |
| Appetizer trays (wings, guac, poppers, sliders, roughly 10 full trays) | $850 |
| 20% service fee | $1,520 |
| Sales tax 9.5% (est.) | $866 |
| Food estimate | ≈ $9,990 |
Kevin's note: tourism is down, the ship has laid people off and is closed two days a week. Catering through IOWA is a direct help to the museum, a 501(c)(3). Confirm the 200-guest menu ceiling first.
Fajita buffet $25.95/head, four staff for six hours, IOWA outside-caterer fee, tax. Suzanne supplies serving pieces, disposables and buffet linens; IOWA supplied beverages, glasses, ice, tables.
| 250 guests (2025 actual quote) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Lunch menu 250 × $25.95 | $6,487.50 |
| Service (4 staff × 6 h × $30 + $400 gratuity) | $1,120.00 |
| USS IOWA fee | $973.00 |
| Sales tax 9.5% | $815.15 |
| Total | $9,395.65 |
$500 non-refundable deposit with signed agreement. Guest count adjustable to 7 days out, then it becomes the minimum. Suzanne warned last October that the week "books up fast". A 2026 quote has not been requested yet.
Read across: at 250 guests the two food paths land within a few hundred dollars of each other. The IOWA path keeps money on the ship and removes the outside-caterer fee; Suzanne's is proven at this exact event. IOWA's beverage rules matter: if alcohol is served, the meal must come from IOWA in-house or one of its curated caterers, and no outside alcohol is allowed aboard.
Recommendation to discuss: cash bar with a hosted soft bar, so ticket price covers food, venue and soft drinks only.
| Bucket | Est. |
|---|---|
| Venue (IOWA proposal) | $4,120 |
| Food (either path) | $9,400–10,000 |
| Bar staffing, 3 bartenders + 3 barbacks × 5 h | $1,650 |
| Certificate of insurance | $107 |
| All-in before raffle and printing | ≈ $15,300–15,900 |
| Per seat at 250 / at 300 | ≈ $62 / ≈ $53 |
Pricing strategy is October's agenda item. This is the number it starts from. Last year's venue rental is not in the documents on hand; Paris can confirm what the 2025 IOWA contract cost.
Board meetings are now the second Tuesday of each month (changed at the August meeting).
The national board of trustees made myUSNA.com the official platform for reporting active chapter membership. myUSNA is where membership is purchased; this platform is where members register and check in. The event's registration link will be posted on myUSNA, and attendance will be exported in whatever form national's report requires. Three questions go to chapter services this week: required report columns and cadence, whether chapter admins can export the member list, and whether a chapter-scoped API credential is possible.