Average Sound Stage: How Big Is It? | AKS Stages
July 11, 2026
Event Venue Rental: What’s Included?
July 11, 2026
The event space rental cost in Los Angeles can start near $1,000 for a small, short meeting. Meanwhile, a large event that uses several stages can reach $20,000 to $25,000. The final price depends on the amount of space, rental hours, parking, permits, security, staffing, and equipment.
At AKS Stages in Burbank, we price event rentals by the day. We build each quote around the actual event rather than using one rate for every client.
A regional meeting for 30 people should not cost the same as a car show, trade show, or convention that occupies several stages. Therefore, this guide explains realistic pricing examples, what a basic rental may include, and which expenses can increase the total.
Quick answer: A practical planning range at AKS is approximately $1,000 to $25,000 per day. Small events may fall near the low end. Medium events may cost about $3,000 to $4,000. Large events may cost $15,000 or more.
These are planning examples, not fixed public rates. Every event receives a custom quote based on its space, schedule, parking, and service requirements.
What Is the Average Event Space Rental Cost in Los Angeles?
There is no useful single average because Los Angeles event venues are not all comparable. A conference room, restaurant patio, hotel ballroom, warehouse, and multi-stage production facility offer very different amounts of space and infrastructure.
In our experience, the biggest pricing factor is the amount of space the event needs.
For example, a small regional sales meeting may fit inside a conference room. In contrast, an expo may need registration space, vendor booths, presentation areas, support rooms, parking, and three separate stages.
At AKS, a realistic daily range looks like this:
| Event example | Typical scale | Planning estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Small regional meetup | About 30 people or fewer in a meeting or conference area | Approximately $1,000 per day |
| Medium wedding or memorial | A larger gathering using one main event area | Approximately $3,000 to $4,000 per day |
| Large car show or similar event | A large stage with substantial guest, vehicle, and setup needs | Approximately $15,000 per day, depending on the stage and event plan |
| Large expo or convention | Several stages, extensive setup, vendors, and complex logistics | Up to approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per day |
Again, these figures show how the scale of an event can affect the quote. They do not represent guaranteed prices for every event.
The Biggest Factor Is How Much Event Space You Need
The fastest way to understand an event quote is to determine how much of the property the event will occupy.
A small gathering may only need a conference or support room. A medium event may need one larger open area, nearby rooms, and parking.
Meanwhile, a convention, car show, or trade show may require one or more full stages. It may also need vendor load-in areas, registration space, and separate rooms for staff or presenters.
AKS offers several spaces with different capacities and layouts. For example, Stage 1 has a 10,000-square-foot stage floor. Stage 2 has a 13,000-square-foot stage floor and extensive support space.
Smaller options include Stage 3 and Stage 4.
Because the spaces are different, a venue should not quote an event using guest count alone. The quote should also reflect the floor plan, staging, booths, vehicles, seating, catering, backstage areas, and guest flow.
What Does a Basic Event Venue Rental Include?
A typical AKS event quote may include the selected event space and approximately 20 parking spaces. It may also include air conditioning, Wi-Fi or internet access, and electricity within the available capacity of the quoted space.
However, the exact package depends on the space and the event requirements.
The facility also offers flexible open layouts, production-ready infrastructure, load-in access, and support rooms. These features can help conferences, trade shows, product launches, brand activations, private gatherings, and other events that need more flexibility than a fixed ballroom layout.
For events that need offices, green rooms, holding areas, or staff rooms, review the available production offices and support spaces.
You can also review the AKS floor plans and downloads before requesting a quote.
What Costs Extra Beyond the Event Space Rental Cost?
The room or stage rate is only one part of the total event budget. Therefore, clients should identify likely extras before comparing venues.
Common additional costs may include:
- Additional parking
- Cleaning service
- City permits, when required
- Security, when needed
- Event staffing
- Tables and chairs
- Audio and visual equipment
- Special setup or breakdown requirements
- Overtime beyond the contracted rental period
AKS can offer or help coordinate staffing, tables, chairs, AV equipment, and security when an event needs them.
However, clients do not have to rent those items through AKS. They may bring their own approved vendors. As a result, planners have more control over both their budget and event design.
Permit requirements vary by event. For that reason, planners should confirm the proposed use early and check any required approvals with the City of Burbank Community Development Department.
How Rental Hours Affect Event Space Pricing
Event rentals are priced by the day. However, the number of included hours can change with the negotiated package.
For a client focused on keeping the price low, AKS may offer a six-hour rental. Those six hours must include setup, the event itself, and teardown.
If the event runs beyond the contracted period, overtime may apply.
At full rates, AKS generally provides a 12-hour day. That time also includes setup, the event, and breakdown.
This distinction matters because many planners estimate only the guest-facing portion of the event.
For example, a four-hour event may need two hours of setup and two hours of teardown. In that case, the actual venue use totals eight hours, not four.
Therefore, build the complete schedule before selecting a package. Include vendor arrival, decorating, catering setup, sound checks, guest entry, the event, cleanup, and final load-out.
Do Weekends or Evening Events Cost More?
At AKS, weekday versus weekend use does not automatically change the price. Likewise, daytime versus nighttime use does not create an automatic premium.
Instead, the quote depends mainly on the amount of space, total hours, staffing, parking, permits, security, and event complexity.
A simple nighttime meeting may cost far less than a daytime expo that uses several stages.
Nevertheless, the event schedule can still affect the total when it requires more labor, longer hours, or overtime. Therefore, provide the full schedule rather than only the public event time.
Three Event Space Rental Cost Examples
Example 1: A Small Regional Meetup
A regional meetup for salespeople or another professional group may include 30 people or fewer.
If the group only needs a conference-style room, basic utilities, and limited parking, the venue cost could be approximately $1,000.
A shorter six-hour package may help control the price. However, the organizer must fit setup, the meeting, and cleanup within that period.
Example 2: A Wedding or Memorial
A larger wedding or memorial may cost approximately $3,000 to $4,000 for the venue.
The final quote will depend on several factors:
- The number of guests
- The selected space
- Tables and seating
- AV requirements
- Cleaning
- Parking
- Security
- Any required permits
In addition, the planner should account for vendor access. The schedule must include enough time to set up and remove decorations, catering equipment, chairs, and personal items.
Example 3: A Large Car Show
A large car show may cost approximately $15,000. The final amount depends on which stage or combination of spaces the event needs.
Vehicles require more than display floor space. The plan may also need entry lanes, safe walking paths, vendor areas, registration, staging, and guest parking.
For events of this size, AKS Event Venue provides open, production-style space that can support custom layouts and efficient load-in.
Large Expo or Convention Example
A convention or expo that takes over three stages could reach approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per day.
The higher price reflects the amount of property in use and the operational complexity.
For example, the event may need:
- Vendor rows
- A keynote or panel area
- Registration space
- Sponsor activations
- Breakout rooms
- Staff offices
- Security
- Cleaning
- Additional parking
- Coordinated load-in and load-out
Planners considering this type of event should review the main AKS event venue page and the dedicated Burbank event venue information.
The Most Common Event Budgeting Mistakes
In our experience, planners often focus on the advertised room price and underestimate three items:
- City permits
- Security
- Extra parking
Those costs may not apply to every event. However, when they do apply, they can change the total significantly.
As a result, it is better to address them during the first conversation instead of waiting until after the venue rate has been approved.
Underestimating Parking
Parking is especially easy to miscalculate.
A 100-person event does not always require 100 parking spaces. However, it may require more spaces than the organizer expects once staff, vendors, speakers, caterers, security, and VIPs are included.
A typical basic AKS rental may include approximately 20 spaces. Therefore, events that need more parking should identify that need before the quote is finalized.
One way to reduce the parking requirement is to design the event as a drop-off or rideshare-first event. This approach can lower the number of guest vehicles.
However, the organizer should still plan spaces for staff, vendors, accessible parking, deliveries, and other essential vehicles.
Ignoring Setup and Teardown Time
The rental clock does not begin when the first guest arrives. It begins when the event receives access to the space.
Therefore, a six-hour package may not work for an event that needs a large installation.
A lower day rate loses its value when the event pays overtime because vendors could not complete setup and teardown within the contracted period.
Assuming Every Service Comes With the Venue
Some venues offer all-inclusive packages. Others provide the space and basic utilities. Neither model is automatically cheaper.
At AKS, clients may bring their own approved vendors instead of purchasing every service through the venue.
Consequently, an experienced planner may reduce costs by using established vendor relationships for AV, seating, staffing, or security.
How to Lower Your Event Space Rental Cost
The best savings usually come from simplifying the event plan rather than searching only for the lowest room rate.
- Use only the amount of space the event truly needs.
- Provide an honest guest count before requesting the quote.
- Estimate staff, vendor, and guest vehicles separately.
- Consider a rideshare-first or drop-off plan when practical.
- Choose a six-hour package only when setup and teardown can fit inside it.
- Bring approved outside vendors when doing so reduces costs.
- Confirm permit and security requirements early.
- Use one flexible space for several parts of the program when possible.
Most importantly, do not reserve a space that is too small simply to lower the initial quote.
A crowded event may need last-minute overflow areas, additional staffing, or a revised layout. Those changes can cost more than selecting the correct space from the beginning.
What Information Is Needed for an Accurate Quote?
To receive a useful quote, provide more than the event date and event type.
At minimum, tell the venue:
- The requested date
- The event type and basic program
- The expected number of guests
- The number of staff and vendors
- The estimated number of vehicles
- The amount of event space needed
- The setup, event, and teardown schedule
- Any tables, chairs, AV, staffing, or security needs
- Any special load-in requirements
- Whether the event may require city permits
The two most important numbers are the expected headcount and the parking requirement.
Without those numbers, the venue cannot determine the correct space or provide a realistic total.
For an AKS quote, also describe the planned layout. Explain whether you need theater seating, banquet tables, vendor booths, vehicles, a keynote stage, breakout rooms, or several different areas.
The more complete the information is, the fewer surprises will appear later.
Is a Soundstage a Good Alternative to a Traditional Event Venue?
A soundstage can work well for events that need a blank canvas and large open floors. It can also provide production power, controlled indoor conditions, technical flexibility, and efficient load-in.
Unlike a hotel ballroom, a production-style venue does not force every event into the same fixed layout.
Instead, planners can create booth rows, presentation areas, displays, branded scenic elements, registration zones, lounges, or vehicle exhibits.
However, flexibility also means the planner must define the setup. Tables, chairs, AV, decor, staffing, security, and other event services may need separate coordination.
AKS is a permitted, 45,000-square-foot production and event facility in Burbank.
It serves conferences, conventions, trade shows, business events, brand activations, product launches, private gatherings, and other events that benefit from production-ready infrastructure and adaptable layouts.
Learn more on the Los Angeles event venue page or read about AKS Stages.
Final Answer: How Much Does an Event Space Rental Cost in Los Angeles?
The event space rental cost in Los Angeles can vary from approximately $1,000 for a small gathering to $20,000 or $25,000 for a large, multi-stage event.
At AKS, a small meetup may cost about $1,000. A medium wedding or memorial may cost approximately $3,000 to $4,000.
A large car show may cost around $15,000. Meanwhile, a complex expo or convention that uses several stages may reach $20,000 to $25,000.
The amount of space remains the biggest factor. However, parking, permits, security, cleaning, staffing, AV, tables, chairs, and rental hours can also change the total.
For the most accurate quote, send AKS your date, expected headcount, parking estimate, schedule, layout, and service requirements.
Then we can recommend the right space instead of giving you a generic rate that may not fit the event.
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