A keynote or general session sits differently in the production schedule than exhibit floor work, since it typically runs on its own rigging and power circuits inside Battelle Grand or a hotel ballroom rather than the exhibit halls, and live event technical direction has to account for that separation from the start.
This page focuses on how that direction actually works for a Columbus general session rather than describing production services in the abstract.
Live Event Technical Direction execution priorities
- Confirm Battelle Grand's rigging points and load capacity before finalizing a staging or truss plan
- Coordinate the general session's power needs separately from exhibit hall electrical drops
- Schedule technical rehearsal time against the show's full production calendar rather than the session's start time alone
- Check whether house sound and lighting are included or need to be brought in separately
Why Battelle Grand runs on its own schedule
Battelle Grand is built for general sessions and banquet-style events rather than exhibit floor traffic, which means live event technical direction there is coordinating rigging, house sound, and staging against a schedule that's separate from the exhibit hall's move-in timeline, even when both are happening under the same show umbrella.
Confirming the ballroom's rigging capacity and load points ahead of time avoids a late discovery that a planned truss configuration exceeds what the space can support.
Power and connectivity for a general session
A general session's audio, video, and lighting draw more sustained power than most exhibit booths, and live event technical direction has to confirm those circuits are ordered and placed correctly well ahead of the event rather than assuming the ballroom's standard outlets will cover a full production.
This is also where confirming internet bandwidth for any streamed or recorded portion of the session matters, since Battelle Grand's connectivity needs are different from what a typical exhibit booth requires.
- Order dedicated power circuits for audio, video, and lighting separately
- Confirm rigging load capacity before finalizing truss plans
- Order dedicated bandwidth if the session will be streamed or recorded
Rehearsal time against the full show calendar
Because Battelle Grand often hosts more than one function across a multi-day show, live event technical direction needs a rehearsal slot confirmed against the full production calendar rather than assumed to be available whenever the presenting team is ready.
Locking that rehearsal window early, alongside the labor call for house crew, keeps a general session from losing setup time to another function using the same ballroom earlier in the day.
- Confirm the rehearsal window against the ballroom's full-day schedule
- Coordinate labor calls for house crew ahead of the session
- Check strike timing if another function follows in the same space
Coordinating with hotel ballrooms for overflow sessions
When a Columbus show's program grows past what Battelle Grand can hold, breakout sessions often move into meeting space at the Hyatt Regency Columbus or the Hilton Columbus Downtown, and live event technical direction has to coordinate rigging, power, and house sound separately for each of those rooms rather than assuming convention center equipment carries over.
That coordination is usually handled directly with each hotel's in-house AV team, since neither hotel's ballroom shares infrastructure with the convention center next door.
Questions about Live Event Technical Direction
Where do most Columbus general sessions take place?
Many run through Battelle Grand, the ballroom space inside the Greater Columbus Convention Center, which is built for general sessions and banquets rather than exhibit floor traffic.
Does live event technical direction need to confirm rigging separately from the exhibit halls?
Yes. Battelle Grand's rigging points and load capacity are specific to that space, and live event technical direction should confirm them independently rather than assuming exhibit hall rigging rules carry over.
How is power handled for a general session?
Audio, video, and lighting typically need dedicated circuits ordered ahead of time, since a full production draws more sustained power than the ballroom's standard outlets are built to handle.
Can rehearsal time be added the day of the session?
Not reliably. Battelle Grand often hosts more than one function during a multi-day show, so live event technical direction should confirm the rehearsal window against the full production calendar in advance.
Does live event technical direction include streaming or recording a general session?
It can, provided dedicated bandwidth and a camera or capture plan are confirmed alongside the rigging and audio order, since Battelle Grand's standard connectivity is not automatically sized for a live stream on top of everything else running in the room.