A Second Sphere is Coming to D.C. – With a Smaller Footprint
The company behind Las Vegas's iconic Sphere has announced plans to bring a smaller version of the orb-shaped venue to the National Harbor outside Washington, D.C. The new sphere, set to open in the near future, will feature the same cutting-edge technology as its larger counterpart, including a giant LED exosphere that runs 366-foot-tall animations around the clock.
While the larger Sphere in Las Vegas has faced challenges in its first year of operation, including an operating loss of over $500 million, it appears to be slowly finding its footing. The venue has hosted high-profile residencies from artists such as U2 and Phish, and has also screened immersive film experiences like Darren Aronofsky's "Postcard from Earth" and a reimagining of the classic "The Wizard of Oz."
According to reports, the smaller sphere in D.C. will seat around 6,000 people, compared to the Las Vegas venue's capacity of over 18,600. Despite its smaller size, the new sphere is expected to feature many of the same technological advancements as its larger counterpart.
The project has been made possible by a mix of public and private funding, including approximately $200 million in state, local, and private incentives. This support comes after plans for a Sphere in London were scrapped earlier this year.
With the addition of this new sphere, Sphere Entertainment is taking steps to expand its global network of venues, as CEO James L. Dolan noted in a statement. "Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities," he said. "Sphere is a new experiential medium."
This smaller sphere in D.C. marks an exciting development for the company, which is also planning to open an international venue in Abu Dhabi. With this growth, it seems that the future may finally be looking bright for Sphere Entertainment.
The company behind Las Vegas's iconic Sphere has announced plans to bring a smaller version of the orb-shaped venue to the National Harbor outside Washington, D.C. The new sphere, set to open in the near future, will feature the same cutting-edge technology as its larger counterpart, including a giant LED exosphere that runs 366-foot-tall animations around the clock.
While the larger Sphere in Las Vegas has faced challenges in its first year of operation, including an operating loss of over $500 million, it appears to be slowly finding its footing. The venue has hosted high-profile residencies from artists such as U2 and Phish, and has also screened immersive film experiences like Darren Aronofsky's "Postcard from Earth" and a reimagining of the classic "The Wizard of Oz."
According to reports, the smaller sphere in D.C. will seat around 6,000 people, compared to the Las Vegas venue's capacity of over 18,600. Despite its smaller size, the new sphere is expected to feature many of the same technological advancements as its larger counterpart.
The project has been made possible by a mix of public and private funding, including approximately $200 million in state, local, and private incentives. This support comes after plans for a Sphere in London were scrapped earlier this year.
With the addition of this new sphere, Sphere Entertainment is taking steps to expand its global network of venues, as CEO James L. Dolan noted in a statement. "Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities," he said. "Sphere is a new experiential medium."
This smaller sphere in D.C. marks an exciting development for the company, which is also planning to open an international venue in Abu Dhabi. With this growth, it seems that the future may finally be looking bright for Sphere Entertainment.
. I mean, a giant LED exosphere that runs animations around the clock? That sounds lit 
! But at the same time, it's also kinda sad to hear about the larger Sphere in Las Vegas facing some tough times financially 
. Maybe this new one in D.C. will be more of a success and help the company get back on its feet 
.
. I'd totally wanna check one out if I were in D.C.! But I'm also curious about this Abu Dhabi thing... what's the deal with that? 
what's next, a giant water park or a massive arcade? 
and 6k seats is still crazy low if you ask me, i mean i get it's smaller but come on, can't we fit more people in there? 
. Like, why are we investing so much money in these luxury events and venues? Is it for the people's benefit or just catering to the 1%? Not trying to be negative but just saying...
I mean, have you seen the pics of the one in Vegas? It's like something out of a sci-fi movie. They're talking about scaling it back to 6k seats, which is still pretty crazy if you ask me. I'm all for innovative experiences and immersive tech, but let's be real, it's gonna cost some serious cash. The fact that they got public & private funding together (that's a $200 million sweet spot) shows they're serious about making this work. Now I'm curious to see how it'll do in D.C., hopefully it'll set the bar for more experiential venues in the city! 
A second Sphere coming to D.C.? That's like a dream come true! And you know what's even crazier? They're gonna make it smaller but still have all those sick LED animations running 24/7! 
the tech is insane, 366ft tall animations runnin round the clock thats straight fire