What is the Impact Study Fee for new prospective Best Western members?
Best_Western Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
d in this Item.
ITEM 5
INITIAL FEES
Impact Study Fee
New prospective Members may, by paying us an Impact Study Fee of $4,000, contribute funds to our commissioning of an impact study. All new prospective Members must complete an Application for Membership (the current form of which is attached as Exhibit I). Applications for Membership are valid for six months from the Board meeting they are originally intended for (the "Application Deadline"). If a new prospective Member's Application for Membership is presented to the Board by the Application Deadline and the Application for Membership is approved, the Impact Study Fee will be credited toward the Affiliation Fee (see below). If a new prospective Member's Application for Membership is presented to the Board by the Application Deadline and the Application for Membership is not approved, the entire Affiliation Fee (including the $4,000 Impact Study Fee) will be refunded. If a new prospective Member's Application for Membership is not presented to the Board by the Application Deadline due to the actions of the prospective Member or the Application for Membership is approved by the Board, but the prospective Member does not accept the condi
Source: Item 5 — Initial Fees (FDD pages 21–24)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Best Western's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, new prospective members may contribute to the commissioning of an impact study by paying an Impact Study Fee of $4,000. All new prospective members must complete an Application for Membership, which is valid for six months from the Board meeting they are originally intended for, referred to as the "Application Deadline."
If a new prospective member's Application for Membership is presented to the Board by the Application Deadline and is approved, the $4,000 Impact Study Fee will be credited toward the Affiliation Fee. However, if the application is presented by the deadline but not approved, the entire Affiliation Fee, including the Impact Study Fee, will be refunded.
Conversely, if the application is not presented to the Board by the Application Deadline due to the prospective member's actions, or if the application is approved but the prospective member does not accept the conditions of approval, the $4,000 Impact Study Fee will not be refunded. This fee structure incentivizes timely submission and acceptance of the membership terms while providing a refund if Best Western rejects the application.