We don't have to put a deposit down until someone else wants the rooms for the same day and time that we have reserved them.
The deposit amounts are not yet set for the new regime when the Veterans Building reservations are confirmed, but the likelihood is they will be nearly as before, about $800 for each of Herbst and Green Room for a total of $1600. If we put the money down before anyone else wants the rooms, we can put down half: $800. I think this means we don't have to put down the full $1600 even if someone else expresses interest, but will have to check again to be sure.
The money is only refundable if someone else takes the rooms for the same day and time. (However, Oct 24, 2015 is a Saturday, so we can be fairly sure someone is going to want the rooms. Still there may be a delay in the refund, depending on how things go.)
Stephanie Smith who handles these reservations is on vacation until September 11. Then I will check again to see exactly what times I reserved the two rooms for - these were not all day reservations.
-- Roger