The National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets added a mini center-hung video display system to its players locker room at Nationwide Arena as part of a multiphase renovation led by general contractor Barton Malow Builders. In a meta moment for AV the redesign and install was documented in a video series.
The new feature includes four tight-pitch, curved, angled LED screens from SNA Displays’ BRILLIANT Interior line of display technology. Built with high-resolution 1.25 mm pixel pitch LED screens, the new installation is essentially a miniature version of the scoreboards seen at the center of many sporting arenas. Each screen has a high-definition resolution of 1,080 pixels high by 1,920 pixels wide, giving the locker-room center-hung approximately 8.3 million total pixels.
The locker room is fully integrated with audio-visual elements. Each display can be controlled remotely and synced with the in-room sound system.
The renovation phase of the stadium upgrade—specifically the locker room and hydrotherapy areas—was described in Episode 2 of the Blue Jackets’ “Behind the Battle” video series as a “full-blown gut renovation” by Kevin Nowak, Senior Project Architect & Studio Leader for the architect firm OSPORTS.
SNA Displays worked with the locker room’s AV integrator, SoundCom, which built the rack, ran low-voltage cabling, and was contracted to install the LED center-hung. The installation team coordinated closely on dimensions, weights, and specifications with the center-hung frame fabricator, Jones Signs. Owner-representative Anthony James Partners provided consulting services throughout each phase of the project, while Osborn Engineering designed and oversaw the development of the center-hung structure of the display.
ESPN The Magazine declared Nationwide Arena “the No. 2 stadium experience in professional sports,” while The Ultimate Sports Road Trip rated it the best arena in the NHL. The hockey rink anchors the Arena District, which includes shops, restaurants, hotels, the Express Live! concert venue, and Huntington Park, home to the Triple-A baseball team The Columbus Clippers. The venue design pairs a classic brick and stone veneer with high-tech LED boards, sweeping concourses, blue mood lighting, and modern amenities.
