Sphere (also known asSphere at the Venetian Resort orLas Vegas Sphere) is a music and entertainment arena inParadise, Nevada, United States, east of theLas Vegas Strip. Designed byPopulous, the project was announced by theMadison Square Garden Company in 2018, known then as theMSG Sphere. The venue, which seats 17,600 people and has total capacity of 20,000, is being marketed for its immersive video and audio capabilities, which include a16K resolution wraparound interior LED screen, speakers withbeamforming andwave field synthesis technologies, and4D physical effects. The venue's exterior also features 580,000 sq ft (54,000 m2) of LED displays, making it thelargest in the world.[2] Sphere measures 366 feet (112 m) high and 516 feet (157 m) wide. The arena cost $2.3 billion,[3] making it the most expensive entertainment venue built in theLas Vegas Valley.
The project, known then as the MSG Sphere, was announced in February 2018.[4][5] The project was initially a partnership between theMadison Square Garden Company (MSG) andLas Vegas Sands Corporation.[6] Sphere is just off theLas Vegas Strip and east of theVenetian resort, which was opened by Las Vegas Sands in 1999.[5] Las Vegas Sands contributed the 18-acre (7.3 ha) site for the project.[7]Apollo Global Management purchased the Venetian in 2022 and became MSG's new partner on the Sphere project, replacing Las Vegas Sands.[8] As part of the sale, the land beneath the Venetian Resort and Sphere was purchased byVici Properties.[9]
The sphere-shaped project was designed byPopulous,[10] with an interior that includes the world's largestLED screen.[7] MSG initially estimated the project cost at $1.2 billion.[7] In February 2020, the company said the cost had increased to $1.66 billion as a result of design changes consisting of guest enhancements.[11] The cost continued to increase,[12][13][14] eventually surpassing $2 billion due to the2021–2023 global supply chain crisis and the2021–2022 inflation surge.[15][16] With a final expected cost of $2.3 billion,[17] it is the most expensive entertainment venue in Las Vegas history,[18] beating out the $1.9 billionAllegiant Stadium.[9]
Agroundbreaking ceremony was held on September 27, 2018, and was attended by approximately 300 people, including Las Vegas Sands'Sheldon Adelson and Nevada governorBrian Sandoval.[19] In November 2018, it was reported that the MSG Sphere would be built along with new bars, private suites, a museum and retail space.[20]AECOM began working on the site in February 2019, through a preliminary agreement. AECOM had worked on several other stadiums, including theT-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.[21] Excavation was underway in March 2019.[22] Approximately 110,000 cubic yards (84,000 m3) of dirt andcaliche were excavated to prepare the site for construction.[21] AECOM was named as thegeneral contractor in June 2019.[21][23] The project had 400 construction workers. This number was expected to eventually reach a peak of 1,500.[24] Construction of the basement was underway in July 2019.[25]
By October 2019, construction crews had completed the 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2) basement as well as the first ground level of the venue.[10] The basement area will be used as public space for events.[24] Excavation went as deep as 21 feet (6.4 m) for construction of the basement.[21] In December 2019, the spherical structure reached 65 feet (20 m) in height with the completion of a fourth level, out of eight above-ground floors.[26]
In February 2020, the world's fourth-largest crane, aDemag CC-8800 crawler crane, was set up on the site's northeast side for the purpose of lifting heavy construction materials. The crane is capable of standing up to 580 feet (180 m). In a disassembled state, the crane was transported across the Atlantic Ocean fromZeebrugge,Belgium toPort Hueneme, California. The crane then required 120 tractor-trailers to transport it to Las Vegas. A separate crane was required to assemble the main crane, a process which took 18 days.[27][28] In March 2020, construction reached the widest point of the spherical structure, the 516-foot (157 m) diameter,[24] located at the sixth level and 108 feet (33 m) above ground.[29]
The project had been scheduled to open in 2021.[24] However, MSG announced on March 31, 2020, that construction would be suspended due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. The project experienced a disruption in its supply chain, a result of the pandemic, and this hindered construction progress. All construction work on the project was expected to come to a stop over the next two weeks following the announcement.[30][31] In August 2020,MSG Entertainment announced that construction had resumed on the project, with the opening rescheduled for 2023. Over the subsequent 15 months, construction would be focused on concrete, followed by steel erection and then the 13,000-ton steel-domed roof, the most complex part of the project.[32][33] In October 2020, crews completed the heaviest lift up to that point, with the installation of two 240-ton steel girders.[34][35]
MSG took over as general contractor in December 2020, although AECOM continued to provide support.[36][37] A 170-ton steelcompression ring was added in February 2021, marking the heaviest lift of the entire project. Due to its size, the ring had to be assembled at the construction site. Work crews spent three weeks welding and bolting the prefabricated steel pieces together, and the crane was then used to lift the ring into place.[38][39][40]
The dome's roof required 3,000 tons of steel.[41] The roof started to take shape in March 2021, as crews began the installation of 32trusses, each one weighing 100 tons.[42] Truss installation reached the midway point in May 2021, and the crane had to be moved to the southern side of the property to install the remainder. Because of its size, the crane's relocation took two days.[43]
The dome was topped off on June 18, 2021,[44] and work was already underway on an externalexosphere which would be built around the dome.[45] The exosphere is made of LED light panels which are visible from several miles away and is 30 percent taller than the dome.[44][46] Work on Sphere's interior began in August 2021.[47]
Upon completion of the roof's steel frame, 6,000 cubic yards (4,600 m3) of concrete were then pumped onto the roof. This formed a layer measuring 10 inches (250 mm) in thickness, and weighing approximately 10,000 tons.[48] The roof was finished in October 2021.[48][49] Crews then turned their focus to the 730-ton steel interior frame which supports the LED screens and audio system.[48][50] Work on the interior frame continued into 2022.[8][49]
A second topping out, for the exosphere,[44][46] took place on May 24, 2022.[51][52] This was followed by installation of the interior and exterior LED screens.[52] The latter was illuminated for the first time on July 4, 2023, duringIndependence Day celebrations.[53][54] Sphere soonwent viral for its display of images.[55][56]
U2 performing on September 29, 2023, Sphere's opening night
On April 20, 2023, the venue's ownerMadison Square Garden Entertainment (which had, in turn, been spun off from the Madison Square Garden Company in 2020 in order to focus on its professional sports assets)[57][58] spun off its "traditional" live events business under the Madison Square Garden Entertainment name in order to insulate them, retaining Sphere and itsregional sports network businesses under the new nameSphere Entertainment.[59][60] The MSG name was subsequently removed from the venue, which was officially renamed "Sphere".[56]
Sphere opened on September 29, 2023,[61] with the opening ofU2's concert residencyU2:UVAchtung Baby Live at Sphere.[62][63][64] It marked the group's first live show since 2019.[65] Sphere plans on hosting four to six residencies each year.[66] The company also debuted its first feature film,Postcard from Earth by directorDarren Aronofsky, at Sphere on October 6, 2023.[67][68][69] The venue will employ up to 3,000 people.[70] Since opening, Sphere operated at a $98.4 million loss at the end of the third fiscal quarter of 2023.[71] In 2024, Sphere grossed $420.5 million from 1.3 million concert tickets sold, ranking as the top-grossing venue of any size that year; it is the highest annual gross of any venue inBillboard Boxscore history.[72]
Sphere is 366 feet (112 m) high and 516 feet (157 m) wide at its broadest point.[24] It is the largest spherical building in the world at 875,000 sq ft (81,300 m2).[26] It includes seating for 17,600 people,[73][66] and all seats have high-speed internet access.[74] The venue can accommodate 20,000 people in standing capacity.[37] Seating does not wrap around the entire sphere, instead covering approximately two-thirds of the interior while the stage takes up the remainder.[75] Approximately 800 seats in the venue's premium, lower-level 100 section have obstructed views of the wraparound video screen due to theoverhang of the second level.[76] Sphere has nine levels, including the basement, where a VIP club is located. A total of 23suites are included, across the third and fifth floors.[52]
The arena primarily hosts award shows and concerts, in addition to other entertainment events.[77] Though not designed to fit a traditional arena layout for sports such as basketball and ice hockey, it can host ring sports events such as boxing andmixed martial arts,[78][75] as well asesports tournaments.[52]
The venue's exosphere is lit by approximately 1.23 million LED pucks, each with 48 diodes.
The venue is equipped with a 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2)LED screen that wraps around the interior.[73][79] It was designed and manufactured by SACO Technologies, a Canadian company based inMontreal specializing in LED video displays and lighting.[80][81] With a16,000 × 16,000 resolution, it is the highest-resolution LED screen in the world, according to Sphere Entertainment.[82] In describing the number of pixels on screen, media sources have reported figures ranging from 189 to 254 milliondiodes[83][79] to 268,435,456 pixels.[84] The screen consists of 64,000 LED panels, each controlled by aprinted circuit board housed in an aluminum frame, with the panels manufactured in 780 different geometric shapes with an edge-to-edgetolerance of 0.8 millimetres (0.031 in).[79][83] Due to its curved shape andthe propensity for pixels to disappear near the poles,[clarify] the screen uses an adaptivepixel pitch. It was also designed to be acoustically transparent, allowing sound from the speakers mounted behind the screen to pass through.[85]
The building's exosphere features a 580,000-square-foot (54,000 m2) LED display also designed by SACO Technologies;[86][8][87] it was the world's largest at the time the venue opened.[88] It comprises 1.23 million puck-shaped LEDs[79] spaced 8 inches (20 cm) apart, each containing 48 diodes.[89] Visuals displayed on the exosphere have included a Halloween jack-o'-lantern, a Christmas snow globe,[90] advertisements and an emoji named Orbi.[91]
The venue's speaker system is based on Holoplot's X1 Matrix Array.
Sphere'ssound system, dubbed "Sphere Immersive Sound", featuresspatial audio capabilities[93] and is based on Holoplot's X1 MatrixArray of speakers.[94] The sound system comprises 1,586 permanently installed speakers and 300 mobile modules, with 99 percent of the system being hidden behind the LED screen.[95][96] Each X1 array comprises a MD96 and a MD80-S sound module, equipped with 96 and 80drivers respectively. Through a matrix of drivers within each speaker module and a matrix of modules per array, Holoplot's system offers more control over the dispersion of sound in horizontal and vertical directions.[97]
In total, the sound system comprises 167,000 speaker drivers, amplifiers, and processing channels, and it weighs 395,120 pounds (179,220 kg).[98] The main coverage of the sound system is provided by the "proscenium array", located in Sphere where a traditional theatreproscenium would be built. It comprises 464 Holoplot X1 speakers (272 MD96 modules and 192 MD80-S modules) organized into 14 clusters and arranged in a semi-arch about 25–30 feet (7.6–9.1 m) above the stage,[99][100][101] making it the world's largest loudspeaker array.[102] Elsewhere, the sound system has 28 environmental arrays for immersive coverage (each one comprising five MD96 and five MD80-S modules), 6 effects arrays (each one comprising 24 MD96 modules), 71 surround arrays behind the audience, 12 delay arrays under the main balcony, 10 side-fill arrays, and 6 low-fill arrays.[101] The sound system also can deliver sound through the floorboards.[87]
Usingbeamforming capabilities, the Holoplot X1 speakers can digitally aim sound at specific spots in the audience and deliver a consistent volume to every seat in the venue, even over long distances;[103] in Sphere, the system offers 110 metres (360 ft) of sound coverage[104] to reach the furthest seats.[105] The Holoplot X1 arrays can also usewave field synthesis to create a virtual point of origin for sound waves and to place them in precise spatial locations, regardless of the actual positions of speakers.[103] Softwarealgorithms compensate for anytransmission loss caused by the obstruction from the LED screen.[85] Integrated into the Holoplot X1 modules are several technologies by Powersoft, including 16-channel amplification, Integrated Powered Adaptive Loudspeaker forsubwoofers, and energy-efficient solutions such aspulse-width modulation andpower factor correction.[97]
The property includes 304 parking spaces, while additional spaces will be available at the parking garages for the nearbyVenetian,Palazzo, andVenetian Expo convention center.[78] A 1,000-foot (300 m) pedestrian bridge connects Sphere to the expo,[7] and there are plans to build a newLas Vegas Monorail station to serve Sphere and the Venetian.[20][108][109] However, these plans were put on hold in April 2020, due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.[110][needs update]
The filmPostcard from Earth, directed byDarren Aronofsky, debuted on October 6, 2023.[69][128] The show is preceded by the "Sphere Experience", a demonstration of the venue's capabilities that uses animatronic robots and holograms.[129][130]
V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film, which documents U2's residency at Sphere, was released on September 5, 2024. It was directed byMorleigh Steinberg and her husband, U2 guitaristthe Edge.[131]
In April 2025, Sphere Entertainment announced that two new films would be released under the "Sphere Experience" program:The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, an immersive version ofthe 1939 film that began screening on August 28, 2025; andFrom the Edge, which will profile fiveextreme sports athletes and begin screening in 2026.[132]
The2024 NHL Entry Draft took place at Sphere from June 28–29, 2024.[133] The first live sporting event at Sphere was held on September 14, 2024, with MMA promotionUFC hostingUFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili (marketed asRiyadh Season Noche UFC for sponsorship reasons).[134] Mexican-American filmmakerCarlos López Estrada oversaw the production of six vignettes played on the screens throughout the main card, which were themed on thehistory of Mexico. The screens then displayed immersive "scenes" as backdrops for each match.[135][136]
In December 2023, Sphere Entertainment was discussing building of a new venue to be used for K-pop concerts inHanam,South Korea.[149] After discussions stalled for South Korea and also Saudi Arabia, MSG was in talks with developers inUnited Arab Emirates to build a second Sphere inAbu Dhabi.[150][151] On October 15, 2024, Sphere Entertainment confirmed that a second Sphere, identical to the one in Las Vegas, would be built in Abu Dhabi.[152]
In March 2025, Dolan stated that that the company was exploring the possibility of building smaller-scale iterations of Sphere, with a capacity of around 5,000 spectators.[153]
Sphere Studios,[154] originally MSG Sphere Studios, opened inBurbank, California, in May 2022.[155] The facility handles production and post-production work for the Las Vegas sphere and future spheres. MSG Sphere Studios sought to collaborate with filmmakers and musicians to create some of the content for the Las Vegas sphere.[143] Ted King, who previously worked onStar Trek: The Experience, is among those who will create visual content for Sphere in Las Vegas.[156] The studio will also produce content in association with the 2023Las Vegas Grand Prix,[157] which will travel past Sphere.[96]
The spherical studio facility, nearly 100 feet (30 m) tall, is a miniature version of the Las Vegas sphere.[155] The facility uses Big Sky, a specialized camera system created specifically to produce material for Sphere.[158]
^Jones, Finn-Olaf (October 1, 2023)."Las Vegas and Its Big, Big Ambitions".The New York Times. RetrievedOctober 11, 2023.Earlier this year, New York-based MSG Entertainment, which owns the Sphere, split in two, renaming the venue's holding company Sphere Entertainment Company in order to insulate MSG Entertainment's core holdings and protect existing shareholders.
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