Sphere has plans for a sibling.
A new Sphere is in the works for National Harbor in the Washington, D.C. area. Sphere Entertainment, the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County and Peterson Companies announced the partnership Sunday night.
At about 6,000 seats, the “Mini Sphere” would be the smaller than the Las Vegas venue.
Sphere in Las Vegas has a maximum capacity of 20,000, about 17,600 residency productions. The goal is to break ground at National Harbor by the end of this year, and be completed in by 2029 or 2030.
The venue would have sight lines to the Washington Monument, according to a post by the Washington Post, visibility on flights in and out of Reagan National Airport.
The project is contingent on approval of incentives used to help fund the new Sphere. The $200 million project would be funded by a combination state, local and private incentives, according to the news release. The partners estimate a $1 billion annual economic impact to the state.
The project would be adjacent MGM National Harbor in the tourist destination just outside D.C. The region attracts about 15 million tourists annually.
The plan fulfills James Dolan’s vision of developing multiple Spheres globally.
“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” said Dolan, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sphere Entertainment. “Sphere is a new experiential medium. With a commitment to bringing innovative opportunities to residents and visitors, Governor Moore, County Executive Braveboy, the State of Maryland, and Prince George’s County recognize the potential for a Sphere at National Harbor to elevate and advance immersive experiences across the area.”
All smaller-scale Spheres would feature an Exosphere – the exterior LED display that shows sponsored and artistic video images. The venue would also feature a 16K x 16K interior display plane – the world’s highest-resolution LED screen. All of Sphere’s advanced technologies would be incorporated, including Sphere Immersive Sound, as well as haptic seating and 4D environmental effects.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore welcomes the productions a new Sphere will stage.
“Maryland has a long history of providing world-class entertainment and we could not be more excited to work with Sphere Entertainment to bring this cutting-edge project to life,” Moore said in a statement. “This will be one of the largest economic development projects in Prince George’s County history – proving once again our state is the best place in the country to bring dreams to life.”
The Las Vegas Sphere has ranked No. 1 on both Billboard’s and Pollstar’s 2025 lists of top-grossing venues internationally. Sphere also has plans to build a venue in Abu Dhabi, and has developed various-sized Spheres planned that will that reflect the experiences of the “signature” Sphere in Las Vegas.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
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