SNA Displays Adds Outdoor LED Screen at Tysons Corner Center Plaza
2026-10-23 · via invidis
Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia, has added a new outdoor LED display from SNA Displays overlooking Penfed Plaza, expanding the shopping center's digital signage footprint for a mall operator that already runs a large screen elsewhere on the property.
The display uses SNA Displays' Empire Exterior LED product at a 3.9mm pixel pitch. It measures 15 feet, 6 inches high by 32 feet, 9 inches wide (4.7 by 10 meters), with a resolution of 1,216 by 2,560 pixels, putting it above 3.1 million total pixels. The screen sits in a plaza surrounded by stores and restaurants that the property, managed by Macerich, uses for concerts, community gatherings and brand launches.
This isn't SNA Displays' first project at the 1.8 million-square-foot mall, which the release describes as the largest in the Washington, D.C. metro area. The company previously supplied a large outdoor LED screen mounted on the facade of the property's parking garage. With the Penfed Plaza installation, Tysons Corner now has two major outdoor LED assets covering different parts of the site, giving Macerich more inventory to sell and more locations to program for events.
What this signals for operators
For mall and retail property operators, the project is a familiar playbook: pair a retail-facing screen with an event-space screen to stretch a single piece of real estate across advertising, branding and live programming. Chris Perry, Macerich's vice president of business development, framed the plaza as a "property-wide media network" reaching a "ready-to-spend audience," language aimed squarely at advertisers and brand partners rather than shoppers.
Pete Simon, SNA Displays' sales director for retail and out-of-home, said shopping centers are increasingly positioning themselves as entertainment destinations rather than pure retail stops, and that the new screen gives Tysons Corner another venue for live events and engagement content alongside commercial messaging.
The announcement does not say who manages the content on the new screen, what CMS or media player platform runs it, how advertising inventory will be sold or priced, or whether the two Tysons Corner screens will be networked or synced for coordinated campaigns. It also does not specify a brightness rating, installation date, or project cost. For an industry watching how shopping centers monetize outdoor digital inventory beyond traditional retail advertising, those operational details would matter more than the screen's size alone.
The project fits a broader pattern of mall operators extending digital media networks into outdoor gathering spaces, treating plazas and event lawns as addressable media alongside storefronts and garages.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from invidis for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
The Washington, D.C.-area shopping center has installed a 3.9 mm LED display overlooking Penfed Plaza, expanding its digital signage network for events, branding and advertising.
Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia, has added a large-format outdoor LED display from SNA Displays to Penfed Plaza, extending the shopping center’s digital signage infrastructure.
The 1.8 million-square-foot property, managed by real estate company Macerich, is the largest shopping mall in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Its new display overlooks an outdoor plaza surrounded by stores and restaurants.
SNA Displays supplied its Empire Exterior LED technology with a 3.9 mm pixel pitch. The screen is 15 feet, 6 inches high by 32 feet, 9 inches wide (4.7 by 10 meters) and has a resolution of 1,216 by 2,560 pixels, totaling more than 3.1 million pixels.
Penfed Plaza also hosts concerts, community gatherings, and brand launches, giving the display a role beyond conventional retail advertising.
The installation also adds to Tysons Corner Center’s existing digital signage infrastructure. SNA Displays previously supplied a large outdoor LED screen mounted on the shopping center’s parking garage façade.
The two installations provide additional opportunities to reach shoppers and visitors across different areas of the property.
“Penfed Plaza at Tysons Corner offers high-impact community programming and a property-wide media network delivering exceptional reach and exposure to a ready-to-spend audience,” said Chris Perry, vice president of business development at Macerich.
Pete Simon, sales director for retail and OoH at SNA Displays, said shopping centers are increasingly positioning themselves as entertainment destinations as well as retail properties.
The new screen provides a platform for live events, branding and other content intended to engage visitors, he added.
The project is another example of how shopping center operators are extending their digital media networks into outdoor gathering spaces, combining commercial advertising with event programming and visitor engagement.