First Mini-Sphere Planned For D.C. Area

The first-ever smaller-scale version of Sphere will be located in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., the company and local officials announced Jan. 18.

It will be the second U.S. location for the immersive venue, following the original in Las Vegas. Another full-sized Sphere is under development in Abu Dhabi.

The National Harbor version has a planned capacity of 6,000, about one-third the size of the full-size Spheres. Sphere Entertainment executive chairman and CEO James Dolan has spoken increasingly frequently about scaling out the Sphere concept beyond The Strip, saying that concepts of Spheres of various sizes have been developed.

“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” Dolan said in a release. “Sphere is a new experiential medium. With a commitment to bringing innovative opportunities to residents and visitors, Governor (Wes) Moore, County Executive (Aisha) 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.”

This project will utilize a combination of public and private funding, including approximately $200 million in state, local, and private incentives. Sphere says it would support approximately 2,500 jobs during the construction phase, and 4,750 jobs once operational.

All of the smaller-scale Spheres will feature the technology within the original building, along with Exosphere displays. Geometrically, spheres maintain their proportions as they change size, making scaling Sphere down — and, perhaps one day, up — a less daunting task than it might appear at first blush.

“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. “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. We’re excited for what this means for our people, and how it will showcase the best of what Maryland has to offer to everyone who visits.”

Sphere did not initially set a timeline for the project, as construction, development, financing and operation of is contingent upon, among other things, negotiation and execution of definitive agreements, as well as receipt of certain governmental incentives and approvals from Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland.