All requests for reservations must be made through the online Reservation Request Form. The Event Coordinator will review all requests and determine the availability of the facilities. Certain fees and special arrangements may be required in order for the group to utilize University Recreation’s facilities to hold the event. These fees and procedures have been outlined below. To start the process of your reservation, please complete the online Reservation Request Form.

General Reservation Guidelines

  • Reservation Requests are processed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, not including University Holidays.
  • For purposes of reserving and invoicing, the definition of one (1) hour is as follows: 1 Hour = 1 to 60 minutes. Hours will be counted in whole increments (i.e. 1 hour and 25 minutes = 2 hours of reservation time).
  • When reserving space, it is important to include event preparation and event breakdown in your request time.
  • Payment must be paid by the date(s) indicated on the invoice or the reservation is subject to cancelation. Events are not considered confirmed and scheduled until approved by the University Recreation Event Coordinator and payment has been received.
  • Cancelations or changes to your reservation must be communicated to the Event Coordinator at least 3 business days prior to the event by 5 p.m. Any changes or cancellations received after this time period may be subject to a penalty.

Group Classification and Priority Reservation Deadline

University Recreation Facility user groups have been classified into the following categories for the purposes of reservation availability and priority. Reservation priority will be determined by the following order of classification.

  • Priority (1) University Recreation – University Recreation Programming and Events
  • Priority (2) Campus Partners – Students, Registered Student Organizations, and University Groups and Departments
  • Priority (3) External – External Individuals, Groups, and Organizations

University Recreation reserves the right to schedule any and all events in advance of the Priority Reservation Deadline that are vital to the mission of University Recreation.

All reservation requests received by the deadlines outlined below will be ranked according to their assigned priority and the reception date of request. Reservation requests received after the priority reservation deadline will be considered in the order in which they are received.

Priority Reservation Deadline

SemesterMonths IncludedPriority Deadline
Fall ReservationsSeptember, October, November, and DecemberAugust 1 (or next business day)
Spring ReservationsJanuary, February, March, and AprilNovember 1 (or next business day)
Summer ReservationsMay, June, July, and AugustMarch 1 (or next business day)

Request Deadlines

Requests from Students, Registered Student Organizations, and University Groups and Departments must be submitted at least 10 business days prior to the event date to be considered.

Requests from External Individuals, Groups, and Organizations must be submitted at least 7 business days prior to the event date to be considered.

All facility requests received after this period will be reviewed, and may be accommodated.

Request Approval

University Recreation’s Event Coordinator will review each reservation request as it is received through the online Reservation Request Form. Reservation Requests are processed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please allow up to 2 business days from your request submission for initial contact. Depending on the nature of the event, University Recreation may require a planning meeting to discuss details of the event. Please note that submitting a request does not guarantee confirmation. Confirmation of the reservation will be sent via email to the requesting group’s event coordinator.

Requirements for Approval of Reservation

Group Requirements for Approval of Reservation

GroupOnline Request FormDetailed Activity SheetPlanning MeetingWalk Through
Students and Registered Student OrganizationsYesNoNo (depending on scope of event)No (depending on scope of event)
University Groups and DepartmentsYesNoNo (depending on scope of event)No (depending on scope of event)
External Individuals, Groups, and OrganizationsYesNoNo (depending on scope of event)Yes

Event Description

University Recreation requests that all groups submitting reservation requests submit a detailed event description, found on the reservation request form. University Recreation reserves the right to ask for further clarification on all activities submitted to ensure that requested reservation complies with University of Alabama and University Recreation policies and procedures. Please provide as much detail as possible.

Permissive Use Agreement

External Individuals, Groups, and Organizations are required to review and sign a contract for use of any University Recreation facility. Other classification groups may be required to review and sign a contract depending on the details of the reservation. The Event Coordinator or another representative from University Recreation will attempt to notify the requesting group of any additional permitting or contractual issues.

Permissive Use Agreements

GroupPermissive Use Agreement
Students and Registered Student OrganizationsSometimes*
University Groups and DepartmentsSometimes*
External Individuals, Groups, and OrganizationsYes

*Permissive Use Agreements may be required by Students, Registered Student Organizations, and University Groups and Departments if participants in the reservation are not affiliated with the University of Alabama or if they are under the age of 18 years and not a student. See Use of Facilities by Minors for additional information.

External Individuals, Groups, and Organizations must complete a Permissive Use Agreement prior to approval of the event.

Special Event Permit (if necessary)

Students and Registered Student Organizations may be required to obtain a Special Event Permit through the SOURCE.

University Groups and Departments and External Individuals, Groups, and Organizations may be required to submit a Grounds Use Permit in addition to the Reservation Request Form depending on the details of the reservation. Additional permits such as food permits, vendor permits, or inflatable permits may be necessary in addition to the Grounds Use Permit.

Insurance Requirements

Subject to the exceptions described in this Policy, external groups and organizations or individuals hosting events and/or conducting operations at the facilities or on the grounds owned or operated by the University may be required to provide evidence of comprehensive general liability insurance. They may also be required to offer evidence of automobile liability and workers’ compensation insurance if the need arises.

Where the financial exposure is deemed either insignificant or more significant, the University will review the proposed operation or activity and may require or make adjustments to the insurance requirements to fit the situation.

This policy does not apply to University-sponsored open public events such as scheduled sporting events (including pre/post game activities) and other University-sponsored events. It may apply to the aforementioned events if an External Individual, Group, or Organization will provide a service or conduct some form of activity which poses an increased risk not typically associated with events which are social or educational in nature and which may include the routine consumption of food and beverage.

General Insurance Requirements

Unless adjusted or waived by the University, External Individuals, Groups, and Organizations must obtain and maintain in force for the duration of the event or activity the following insurance coverages:

Commercial General Liability (“CGL”)
Each Occurrence –

  • Premises/Operations & Personal Injury: $1,000,000
  • General Aggregate: $2,000,000
  • Fire Damage Liability: $100,000

Use of Facilities by Minors

Children under the age of 18 may not use the facility unless a waiver form has been completed by a parent or legal guardian. In addition, proof of proper insurance must be provided for any event involving children under the age of 18. Please consult the University Recreation Event Coordinator for specifics on how to obtain these waivers.

All activities and programs for or including youth participants must submit an online application and all requested documentation to Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs for approval at least eight weeks prior to the start date of the activity or program.

All activities or programs, both University or third party hosted, will need a UA Program Contact. This individual represents the department, college, or student organization and is responsible for the direction or operation of the activities or programs. In the case of third party activities or programs, this person serves as the liaison between UA and the third party personnel.

Individuals working in activities and programs for or including youth participants must successfully complete required training and background checks before working in such activities and programs.

Failure to comply with the requirements of this policy or the requirements further outlined in the Guide for Youth Programs and Activities can result in the loss of program privileges at The University of Alabama.

More information on Youth Protection Policy can be found at the Youth Protection Program website or by contacting Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs at 205-348-2334, youthprotection@fa.ua.edu.

Approved and Prohibited Activities

All outdoor field and court spaces are available only for recreational activities, unless special approval has been granted and approved with an appropriate Grounds Use Permit (GUP). All planned activities must be approved during the reservation process by the University Recreation Event Coordinator. Approval of new or additional activities at the facility is not permitted.

Prohibited activities include non-sport-related activities such as concerts and related events that require a stage or other heavy equipment. Sport activities that may cause significant damage to the fields such as golf are also not permitted. Any activity involving water such as a slip-and-slide, water Olympics, and water balloons are not allowed. Skateboarding and biking is not permitted on court surfaces. Bubble Soccer is also a prohibited activity as it’s been deemed “unsafe” by the University of Alabama. Additional activities may be not permitted due to safety considerations and risk management guidelines.

Space may be available to host events such as festivals, picnics, and other approved activities that are not permitted on our traditional field and court spaces.

No group or organization may release space to another individual or group. Reservations for space are group or event specific and may be changed only by The University of Alabama, University Recreation Department. University Recreation must approve the method of placing decorations, exhibits, or displays in recreation spaces and outdoor fields.

Group Representative Responsibilities

The person representing the group that will be reserving any University Recreation facility shall be responsible for communicating all facility policies and event details to all participants, group members, and spectators. Failure to adhere to the Facility Rental Agreement and facility policies and procedures by any person(s) associated with said group may result in an immediate termination of the reservation. Should the event be terminated any and all fees and deposits will be forfeited by the group. Suspension of future reservation privileges or further actions by the University Recreation Department, Dean of Students, Student/University Judicial Board, and/or University Guest Services may be considered.

Equipment Rental / Checkout

The group or organization reserving the space is responsible for making arrangements for any special service or equipment through the appropriate campus program departments. University Recreation has a limited amount of sports equipment available for check-out. Any need for University Recreation’s equipment should be communicated through the online form submission. Group can additionally inquire about the availability of equipment at the time the facility reservation is made. A fee may be associated with the checkout of equipment and/or materials.

Weather Cancellation Policy

University Recreation has your group’s safety in mind as we host events. If an event is hosted as scheduled and your group cancels or reduces numbers due to weather conditions, all payments are non-refundable. University Recreation reserves the right to cancel all reservations in the case of inclement weather or the condition of the space makes it inadvisable or impossible to use.

Non-Refundable Reservation Deposits

External Groups and Organizations must pay a non-refundable deposit after receiving confirmation of your reservation. If deposit is not received by the deadline date, reservation is subject to cancelation. Reference the chart below for reservation deposit deadlines.

Reservation Deposit Deadlines

GroupDeposit DeadlineDeposit Amount
Students and Registered Student OrganizationsN/AN/A
University Groups and DepartmentN/AN/A
External Groups and Organizations10 days prior to event50% of total cost of reservation

Payments and Additional Fees

Payment must be paid by the date(s) indicated on the invoice or the reservation is subject to cancelation. Events are not considered confirmed and scheduled until approved by the University Recreation Event Coordinator and payment has been received.

Invoices can be paid by credit card or UA Departmental Transfer Authorization (DTA). To pay using DTA, please email urecevents@ua.edu to receive account information. To remit payment using other options, please print and bring a copy of your invoice to:

University Recreation Membership Office
400 Peter Bryce Boulevard
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
205-348-5164

Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For purposes of reserving and invoicing, the definition of one (1) hour is as follows: 1 Hour = 1 to 60 minutes. Hours will be counted in whole increments (i.e. 1 hour and 25 minutes = 2 hours of reservation time).

University Recreation Staff Fee

University Recreation may employ a facility supervisor(s) or appropriate area staff member for all reservations to assist with facility issues and emergency situations. University Recreation reserves the right to determine the number of facility supervisors assigned to a particular event depending on the nature and scope of the event.

GroupCost Per Hour
Students and Registered Student Organizations$15
University Groups and Department$15
External Groups and Organizations$15

Drayer Athletic Trainer Staff Fee

Sports medicine services may be required at the expense of the reservation holder at the discretion of the University Recreation Event Coordinator and Drayer Clinic Manager. All fees must be paid directly to Drayer Clinic via check.

Upstream Rehabilitation
Attn: Accounting
1200 Corporate Drive, Suite 400
Birmingham, AL 35242

GroupCost Per Hour
Students and Registered Student Organizations$30
University Groups and Department$30
External Groups and Organizations$30

Additional Custodial Fee

For events that include a large number of attendees, University Recreation may assess a custodial fee. University Recreation reserves the right to determine the number of custodians assigned to a particular event depending on the nature and scope of the event.

GroupReservation Fee
Students and Registered Student OrganizationsHourly Rate
University Groups and DepartmentHourly Rate
External Groups and OrganizationsHourly Rate

Field Setup Fees

University Recreation staff may be able to set the fields up for the event depending on the timing and nature of the event. If painted or chalked field lines are requested, University Recreation may provide the labor and materials at a cost to the group only if the field paint or chalk does not interfere with intramural or sport club events previously scheduled.

Security Personnel

Depending on the scope of the event, reservation groups may be responsible for providing security for the event. This determination will be made by the University Recreation staff in conjunction with the UAPD Police Department as a part of the event approval process.