Margaritaville Resort Times Square

The Margaritaville Resort Times Square is operated by Highgate Hotels, a global hospitality management company with a portfolio of premier properties in key gateway markets. At this Manhattan location, the Margaritaville name operates under licensed trademark, bringing a globally recognized lifestyle brand to a high-visibility corridor.

Here, a façade is more than architecture, it is media. Despite its prominent position along 7th Avenue, the existing marquee had never been digital. The opportunity was clear: activate underutilized frontage and convert it into a dynamic brand platform.

checkmarkChallenge

The original marquee structure was not designed to support LED technology. To introduce digital capability, the façade required structural reinforcement to safely carry the additional display weight. Power and data infrastructure also had to be routed to a location that had not previously supported digital displays.

This was not a ground-up build. It was a retrofit within the constraints of an existing Midtown Manhattan structure. The work required careful coordination to preserve the building’s design while upgrading it into a functional digital asset.

checkmarkSolution

i5LED engineered two outdoor LED displays from the Element Performance line, each measuring 12’-7.2” wide by 8’-4.8” high. Designed specifically to fit within the existing marquee footprint, the displays were configured to deliver reliable outdoor performance while maintaining the architectural integrity of the façade.

Working alongside AMA Electric Sign Co., who led on-site installation and structural coordination, the existing marquee was reinforced to support the additional display weight, and new power and data infrastructure was added.

The two 4.0mm displays were installed on both the north and south faces of the structure, maximizing visibility along 7th Avenue. The selected pixel pitch balances refined visual detail at close pedestrian distances with consistent daylight brightness required in Midtown Manhattan.

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The retrofit transformed a static marquee into a dynamic digital platform, giving the Margaritaville Resort Times Square a visible, programmable presence in the heart of Times Square.

For Highgate Hotels, the façade now functions as an active promotional asset rather than fixed signage.