In the round: ‘Sphere’ venue planned to roll into MD

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Sphere Entertainment Co., the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County and Peterson Companies have plans of developing a Sphere venue at National Harbor, Gov. Wes Moore‘s office announced.

The 6,000-seat entertainment venue would be the second of its kind in the nation. Sphere, which has a Las Vegas location, hosts immersive shows, concerts and other entertainment events. In addition to Maryland, the company plans to open a venue in Abu Dhabi.

Sphere’s Maryland site, presuming the construction project moves forward, is expected to drive “significant economic, cultural and community benefits” for Prince George’s County and the surrounding region, state leaders said.

“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.”

According to a release, the project would utilize public and private funding, including about $200 million in state, local and private incentives. The venue would support roughly 2,500 jobs during construction and 4,750 jobs when it opens.

Once open, Sphere National Harbor’s economic impact is expected to surpass $1 billion annually, according to the governor’s office.

“This is a world-class win and an incredibly exciting moment for Prince George’s County,” Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said. 

“This achievement reflects the strong partnership we have built with Governor Wes Moore and the State of Maryland, as well as a disciplined, experienced team that knows how to compete and win major projects at a national scale.”

Smaller-scale Spheres, such as the one planned for National Harbor, feature exterior LED displays with artistic and branded content along with an interior display plane supplemented by additional advanced technological features.

“Any construction, development, financing and operation of a Sphere venue at National Harbor 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,” says a statement from the governor’s office.