Increase Engagement, Reduce Waste

After weathering some tough years during the pandemic, the events industry is booming again. According to Market Intelo, the global convention center market is projected to reach $89.3 billion in 2034, riding a 7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

This growth presents an opportunity, and many convention centers are investing in infrastructure and logistics upgrades to enhance the customer experience. This includes the Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC) in Philadelphia, which recently unveiled one of the largest and most sophisticated digital display networks in a U.S. convention center.

The project was something John McNichol, president and CEO of the PCC, said had been on the agenda for a few years. The goal was to enhance the east side of the building, which opened in 1993, to match the more modern amenities of the west side expansion, which opened in 2011.

“The customer experience is always top of mind in everything we do,” he explained. “Having such a wide array of digital signage at the venue now allows our customers to incorporate striking, creative, and budget-friendly signage options for their events, while also providing a more seamless, intuitive, and engaging experience for event attendees, organizers, and exhibitors.”

Across the Venue

Completed in January, the new network was developed in partnership with technology consulting firm Anthony James Partners (AJP). Together, they saw it as an opportunity to create a venue-wide communications platform featuring more than 150 displays, including approximately 4,700 square feet of LED video wall displays and LCD displays in public and meeting spaces.

The network allows the venue and event organizers to enhance event branding, improve attendee navigation, offer new sponsorship opportunities, and modernize the overall guest experience. AJP provided turnkey concept development, system design, and construction management, while Eastern Sign Company and HB Frazer supported the physical implementation.

One of the most striking elements of the network is the 79-foot digital ribbon in the Broad Street Atrium, along with three towering 28-foot vertical LED displays, which were treated as permanent digital architecture, creating a cathedral-like experience as guests travel to the upper floors. Curved screens were placed at key intersections, wrapping around the walls. UberDisplays manufactured and delivered all LED video walls for the project.

Prior to the modernization, PCC relied heavily on static signage and temporary printed banners, with each event producing something new that was then discarded. This project allowed them to change that. “The primary goal was basically two things: communication and to be more environmentally friendly and cost-effective with signage,” said David Watroba, managing director with AJP.

To determine placement, PCC traffic patterns, historical banner locations, and natural guest interaction points were evaluated to identify where displays would have the greatest impact without detracting from the venue’s architectural features, which pay homage to its deep Philadelphia roots. This strategic placement in high-traffic areas would catch guests at natural points in the venue where they would look for directions, reducing their need to seek help from staff.

“Our goal with this project was to provide a modern and innovative signage solution without overpowering the elements that make the Pennsylvania Convention Center a one-of-a-kind event venue,” McNichol added.

Central Control

The new network also dramatically improves real-time communication by providing a central control system that allows staff to instantly update messaging across the building's display network. “We can push instant updates regarding room changes, keynote alerts, or emergency notifications across the entire facility simultaneously,” McNichol said. “By providing this information on demand, we allow visitors to focus on their event rather than the logistics of finding and navigating it. It turns the building into a responsive environment that guides the visitor through their experience.”

Messaging can be distributed across the network, and event organizers can decide what content goes where. “They can put wayfinding on it. They can put information on it. They can put the weather on it. It’s whatever they want to do with it,” added Watroba.

It also provides organizers with additional monetization opportunities by selling space across the digital network and increasing the value to event sponsors. “A high-visibility digital wall can now showcase multiple sponsors in a high-definition loop,” McNichol noted. “This increases the share of voice for brands and creates significantly more inventory for show organizers to monetize, all while maintaining a clean, modern aesthetic throughout the halls.”

The system also helps PCC better support concurrent events within the venue, which in the past required significant lead time, manual labor, and substantial physical waste when printed materials were replaced as events transitioned back and forth. "Now, we can execute a total 'brand flip' for the entire facility almost instantaneously via the digital signage," said McNichol. “We can transition the messaging, color schemes, and logos for a massive convention to a private gala with no downtime and zero physical footprint.”

New Expectations

AJP had to ensure that construction did not affect events occurring during the installation process. “We did a lot of coordination with them just to make sure that our three to four-week look ahead wasn’t just dedicated towards the material and the physical installation, but what it looks like to not make a mess or make noise around where certain events were,” said Jeremy Lomax, senior project manager with AJP.

The network debuted while the venue hosted the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Convening Leaders event, offering convention and meeting planners from across the country the chance to see the network and its capabilities firsthand.

“The additions have been extremely well received by our customers who have stated that the signs have elevated their event experience,” McNichol said.

The digital display network is part of PCC’s broader, multi-year improvement program, which focuses on technology upgrades, operational efficiency, and the overall experience for event organizers and attendees. Future phases are already underway, including the recently completed display installations in the Grand Hall, which was being designed as a synchronized media zone with approximately 760 square feet of wall-mounted displays.

An entirely new power and data infrastructure, included in Phase 1, was designed to support the additional loads in future phases. “We made sure that when we sized the transformers and the new panel boards, they would be able to handle the additional loads in a proposed Phase 2 or Phase 3,” said Lomax.

Many installations don’t account for data and power needs for future technology integrations, but knowing that future phases were already underway made it clear to all involved that this was an important Phase 1 investment. “Establishing this foundation during Phase 1 was key, not only to support the current power and data needs, but also to support our future requirements as we continue to develop our digital signage offerings,” added McNichol.