AV Production at the Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
Prime AV produces general sessions, galas, and conferences at the Marriott Marquis on Massachusetts Avenue with our own crew and gear, working inside the hotel’s rigging, power, and in-house provider rules.
If you have the Encore quote in hand and want an independent production company that already knows the Marquis Ballroom, start here.
How we produce at the Marriott Marquis
Marquis, Liberty, and Independence ballrooms
The Marquis Ballroom is 30,600 square feet, column free, with a 22 foot ceiling and room for 3,500 in theater seating. The Liberty and Independence ballrooms are 10,854 square feet each with 20 foot ceilings, and about 54 breakout rooms round out 100,000 square feet of event space.
Twenty two feet sounds generous until you hang truss, screens, and lighting in it. We design the rig to the real trim height, with LED walls that keep the picture bright under house lights and a stage that keeps sight lines clean from the back of a 3,500 seat room.
Rigging through Encore
Encore is the exclusive technology provider at the Marquis, and rigging requests go through their rigging form and approval process. The hotel publishes ballroom drawings for the Grand and Junior ballrooms that we design to.
We submit the plot, coordinate the motor call, and ground support where flying is not worth the cost. Nothing in our design surprises the house riggers on load in day.
Power and internet
Power and internet packages are sold through Encore, and online ordering closes two days before load in; after that, orders go through the on site team at on site rates.
We spec the power for the actual show load, order early, and bring our own distribution, cabling, and show network so you are not paying rack rate for last minute drops.
Load-in below grade, next to the convention center
The ballroom levels are below grade with a large delivery area that lets exhibits and even vehicles reach the Marquis Ballroom, and the hotel connects to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center by an underground concourse under 9th Street. Co located programs are common.
We coordinate load in with the hotel’s event team and, when your program spans both buildings, with the convention center dock schedule too. Packages move through the FedEx Office at the hotel, so production freight travels on our trucks instead.
Working alongside the in-house team
Outside production companies run general sessions, galas, and association programs at the Marquis with Encore handling rigging and house systems. The hotel has hosted everything from medical associations to inaugural balls.
We bring sound, LED, lighting, cameras, streaming, and crew, coordinate with Encore on rigging and patching, and give you one accountable producer and an itemized quote to set next to the in-house proposal.
The details that change your budget here
The Marquis is the convention center headquarters hotel and runs like one. These are the facts from the hotel’s published specifications and exhibitor kit that shape a quote.
The rooms
Trim heights are tighter than a convention hall.
Rigging and house systems
Through Encore.
Ordering windows
Late orders cost more.
Logistics
Downtown, below grade, two buildings.
Frequently asked questions
Can we use an outside AV company at the Marriott Marquis DC?+
Yes. Encore is the exclusive technology provider for house systems and rigging, and outside production companies produce general sessions, galas, and conferences at the Marquis regularly. We bring our own equipment and crew and coordinate rigging and patching with Encore.
How tall is the Marquis Ballroom ceiling?+
Twenty two feet, column free, across 30,600 square feet. The Liberty and Independence ballrooms are 20 feet. We design truss trim, screen size, and lighting positions to those heights before we quote.
Does Prime AV work events that span the hotel and the convention center?+
Yes. The Marquis connects to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center by an underground concourse, and co located programs are common. We coordinate both load in schedules and can run the overflow or breakout side in one building while the general session runs in the other.
How should we handle power and internet?+
Both are sold through Encore and online ordering closes two days before load in. We size the show load, order early with you, and bring our own distribution and show network so last minute on site orders are not needed.
What does Prime AV bring?+
Sound, LED video walls and projection, stage lighting, cameras and switching, recording and live streaming, confidence monitors, and a show caller. Everything arrives on our trucks with our crew, and one producer is your point of contact.
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 the Marquis?
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’s in-house provider will charge for rigging, power, and internet on top.