AV Production at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center
Prime AV produces general sessions, galas, and multi track conferences at Gaylord National in National Harbor, Maryland, with our own crew and equipment, working alongside the hotel’s in-house rigging, electrical, and AV teams.
Our Chantilly warehouse is a short run down the Beltway, which keeps trucking and crew costs sensible for a resort of this size.
How we produce at Gaylord National
Potomac, Maryland, and the exhibition hall
Gaylord National has about 544,000 square feet of event space at National Harbor. The Potomac Ballroom is 51,462 square feet with a 28.5 foot ceiling, the Maryland Ballroom is 31,127 square feet, and the Prince George’s Exhibition Hall is 178,787 square feet with a 24 foot ceiling. Around them sit roughly 100 breakout rooms.
We size the general session rig to the room: a wide LED wall and delay speakers in Potomac, a tighter trim in the exhibition hall, and compact breakout kits that can be reset between sessions without a crew of ten.
Rigging through the in-house contractor
The in-house provider holds exclusive rigging rights in the meeting and event rooms, approves every rigging design, and supplies the rigging labor for anything attached to the permanent system. Drawings exist for the Potomac, Maryland, Cherry Blossom, and Woodrow Wilson ballrooms and the exhibition hall.
We design to those drawings, submit the plot electronically, and plan the motor calls with the house riggers. Where flying is not worth the cost, we ground support on our own truss and towers.
Power and internet from the hotel
All event power is provided and installed by the Gaylord Electrical Department, and internet is ordered through the hotel with a service charge and Maryland sales tax on top. Both go on the master account on the hotel’s lead times.
We tell you exactly what to order, build our distribution from the hotel drops, and bring our own networking for show control, so the hotel circuit is reserved for what truly needs it.
Load-in through the dock only
Exhibits, displays, and production equipment move in and out through the loading dock only, and the hall does not accept freight; shipments go to the official service contractor. The exhibit services team coordinates the schedule.
We advance the dock times with your contractor, arrive with a manifest, and stage out of the way. Our crews work this building often enough to know the push distances to each ballroom and to plan the labor accordingly.
Working alongside Encore
Encore is the in-house AV provider at Gaylord National. Outside production companies produce general sessions, award dinners, and association programs here, with house systems and rigging handled through Encore.
We bring our own sound, LED, lighting, cameras, and crew, coordinate patching and rigging with the house team, and give you one accountable producer. You get an independent, itemized quote next to the in-house proposal.
The details that change your budget here
Gaylord National is one of the largest hotel convention centers on the East Coast. These facts come from the hotel’s published specifications and service guides and are confirmed on every advance.
The big rooms
Ceiling heights set your trim.
Rigging
Exclusive to the in-house contractor.
Power and internet
Hotel departments, hotel lead times.
Logistics
Plan the dock and the parking.
Frequently asked questions
Can we bring an outside AV company to Gaylord National?+
Yes. Encore is the in-house provider and holds exclusive rigging in the event rooms, and outside production companies produce general sessions, galas, and association meetings here regularly. We bring our own equipment and crew and coordinate rigging, patching, and power with the house teams.
How does rigging work at Gaylord National?+
The in-house rigging contractor approves every design and supplies the labor for anything attached to the permanent rigging system. We design to the hotel’s ballroom drawings, submit the plot, and plan the motor calls with them. Ground supported truss is an option where it saves money.
Is Gaylord National in Maryland or DC?+
Maryland. The resort is at 201 Waterfront Street in National Harbor, Prince George’s County, across the Potomac from Alexandria and about ten miles from downtown DC. Maryland sales tax applies to hotel services.
What size screen does the Potomac Ballroom need?+
For a full ballroom general session we typically build a wide LED wall or a 16 by 9 foot wall with side screens, sized so the farthest seat sees text clearly under a 28.5 foot ceiling. We model sight lines from the room drawing before quoting.
How far ahead should we book?+
Several weeks to a few months for a multi room program, earlier in spring and fall. Rigging approvals, power orders, and dock scheduling all have hotel lead times, so the sooner we start the advance the smoother load in goes.
Planning a meeting or conference? Start with an RFP.
Download our free Event AV & Production RFP Template, fill in what you know, and email it to sales@goprimeav.com. We will help you build the scope.
Download the RFP TemplateProducing at Gaylord National?
Send us the room, the dates, and the agenda
You will get a layout, an itemized quote, and a clear note on what the hotel will charge for rigging, power, and internet on top. One crew from load in to strike.