Exhibitor guide · National Harbor, Maryland
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center: the exhibitor's guide
The largest hotel between New Jersey and Florida, a 20-story atrium under one computer-controlled glass roof, and a waterfront entertainment district with its own ferris wheel next door. What exhibitors need to know at National Harbor.
Gaylord National · 201 Waterfront StHero photo: "Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at Night" by Cision Global, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr. Source
Why this page exists
Gaylord National opened in 2008 as an $870 million bet on National Harbor, a waterfront district on the Maryland side of the Potomac that didn't exist a decade earlier, and it remains the largest hotel between New Jersey and Florida. Every show here runs on carpet inside a 20-story atrium under a single glass roof, which changes drayage, rigging and floor protection compared with a concrete exhibit hall. This guide covers the meeting space, what changes when your booth goes on hotel carpet, D.C.-area labor rules, drayage, and the National Harbor waterfront.
The building
The meeting and exhibit space
| Space | What it is | Typical shows | Booth planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibit and meeting space | Published figures range from roughly 400,000 to 600,000+ sq ft depending on how meeting, exhibit and pre-function space is counted; use the figure on your show's floor plan. | Association conferences, government-adjacent trade shows | Confirm exact hall assignment; the property is large enough that dock distance varies significantly. |
| The Atrium | 20 stories tall under a single computer-controlled glass roof. | Registration, receptions | A dramatic but unconventional space; confirm rigging points with the hotel. |
Figures from the Gaylord National Resort's published overview; sources vary on exact meeting-space totals.
Free tool
What changes when your booth goes on hotel carpet?
Every show at Gaylord National runs on carpet, not a concrete exhibit floor. That changes a few things about how your booth gets built.
History
An $870 million bet on the waterfront
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center opens on the Potomac River at National Harbor, an $870 million, 20-story property built under a single computer-controlled glass roof, becoming the largest hotel between New Jersey and Florida.
National Harbor grows up around the resort into a full waterfront entertainment district, with restaurants, shops, a marina, public art installations, and the Capital Wheel, a 180-foot observation wheel overlooking the river.
The labor map
Who sets up my booth?
Gaylord National sits in Prince George's County, Maryland, not D.C. proper; confirm hand-carry and self-install allowances with the show's official decorator, since hotel shows in the D.C. metro area often set their own labor terms.
Union jurisdiction likely; confirm with the decorator
Rules vary by show; Purple confirms current terms before your build.
Exhibitor-appointed contractors
Purple files as your EAC for Gaylord National shows.
Free tool
Gaylord National drayage estimator
Planning numbers for 2026 and 2027; your show's exhibitor kit has the tariff.
Logistics
Hotels, transit, crew logistics
- Airport: Reagan National is about 20 minutes; Dulles is about 40–45 minutes.
- On-site: 2,000 rooms are part of the resort itself.
- By water taxi: a seasonal water taxi connects National Harbor to Old Town Alexandria and the Wharf in D.C.
- Crew: Purple coordinates Mid-Atlantic crews for National Harbor installs.
| Hotel | Distance | Why exhibitors pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Gaylord National resort rooms | On-site | 2,000 rooms on the property itself. |
| National Harbor-area hotels | 5–10-min walk | More price points within the waterfront district. |
Questions
Gaylord National FAQ
Is this a carpet or concrete floor?
Carpet. Every show here runs on the resort's ballroom and meeting-room carpet, which changes drayage, rigging and floor protection.
Is Gaylord National in Washington, D.C.?
No, it's in National Harbor, Maryland, in Prince George's County on the Potomac River, about 20 minutes from downtown D.C. and Reagan National Airport.
How big is the resort?
2,000 rooms and more than 470,000 square feet of flexible meeting and exhibit space, all under a single 20-story glass atrium roof.
How much is drayage?
Purple's planning estimate is about $170 per hundredweight in 2026 and 2027, with a 200-pound minimum.
How many rooms does the resort have?
2,000 rooms, the largest hotel in the Washington, D.C. area.
How much did it cost to build?
About $870 million, opening in April 2008 under a 20-story glass atrium.
Exhibiting at Gaylord National?
Send us the show and booth number. You get a carpet-conversion checklist, a drayage estimate, and a build timeline within two business days.
Venue guides
Every venue we have a guide for
Same standard, every hall: the building, the rules, the tools and the calendar.