Background

Arlington County developed the 92,000-square-foot Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center as a modern, community-focused facility featuring a 50-meter competition pool, leisure pool, fitness center, and multipurpose spaces.

Designing AV systems for this environment presented a unique challenge—water, humidity, and reflective surfaces can quickly degrade traditional systems and impact performance.

Objective

Create a durable, easy-to-use AV environment that delivers:

• Clear, intelligible audio across large, reflective pool spaces
• Reliable video for events, competitions, and community programming
• Simple operation for staff without dedicated AV expertise
• Long-term performance in a harsh aquatic environment

Solution

Productive AV partnered with Arlington County from the design phase to deliver a resilient, high-performance AV system:

• Water-Resistant System Design: IP-rated components and custom waterproof integrations protect equipment from humidity and corrosion
• High-Impact Visuals: A large-format LED video wall provides a central display for announcements, live video, scoring, and event content
• Optimized Audio Performance: Acoustic modeling and weather-treated loudspeakers ensure clear, consistent sound despite challenging surfaces
• Integrated Production Capabilities: Cameras and live production tools support streaming, recording, and enhanced spectator experiences
• Simple, Intuitive Controls: User-friendly interfaces allow facility staff to operate systems easily—no specialized AV team required

The result is a reliable, easy-to-use AV environment that supports everything from swim meets to community events—without adding operational complexity.