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Licensee Assumed Sufficient Control Over Hired Premises to Create Duty to Maintain Premises in Safe Condition

The Third Department determined the American Cancer Society (ACS), as a licensee, had assumed sufficient control of the premises hired for an event hosted by the ACS to create a duty to maintain the premises in a safe condition.  Plaintiff had tripped over a cable placed by an outfit hired by ACS to provide audio-visual services:

Supreme Court properly concluded that ACS owed plaintiff a duty of care. In the context of premises liability, a party owes a duty to take reasonable measures to protect others from dangerous conditions on the property only where that party owns, occupies or controls the property or makes a special use of it … . No party contends that ACS owned, leased or made special use of the Hall of Springs. However, ACS, as a licensee exercising control, owed a duty to those on the property to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition during the period of its use … . Although “mere sponsorship, absent control, does not render [an entity] legally responsible” for defects on the premises …, ACS’s involvement with the gala exceeded bare sponsorship. ACS entered into a contract with Mazzone Management for use of the Hall of Springs, approved the floor plan for the gala, hired ACES to provide audiovisual services, and hired a band for entertainment, and ACS representatives were present during and oversaw the set up and the event. An ACS representative testified at her deposition that she was present during the set up between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to the event, that she performed a walk-through of the premises, and that if she had noticed any hazards – including tripping hazards – she would have pointed them out and had them remedied. As the record demonstrates that ACS “conceived of, planned, orchestrated and supervised the [gala],” it had control over the premises during the set up and the event and thereby owed a duty of care to those present to maintain the site in a reasonably safe condition … . Stevenson v Saratoga Performing Arts Center…, 517156, 3rd Dept 3-13-14

 

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