Construction Industry News: World's Largest "Sphere" Opens in Las Vegas, An Amazing New Music & Entertainment Venue
You may have seen the amazing video clips and photos on the news (or on social media) about the unique new music and entertainment venue which opened recently in Las Vegas, known simply as "Sphere." The massive spherical structure is covered (inside and out) with high-definition LED screens that can create visually stunning immersive experiences. Sphere officially opened on September 29, 2023 when the Irish Rock band U2 performed there, kicking off U2's 36-show residency at the venue.
The interior of the amphitheater-shaped arena is dominated by a massive, curving, wraparound 16K video screen which is 160,000 square feet in size. At 4 acres in size, it is the largest high-definition LED screen in the world. By comparison, the world's largest IMAX screen is a fraction of the size, "only" 127 feet by 69 feet (totaling 8770 square feet in area).
Sphere is located just east of the Las Vegas Strip, near the Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino. The spherical arena is the largest spherical structure in the world, measuring 366 feet high and 516 feet wide in diameter. The arena was announced by the Madison Square Garden Company in 2018. The venue's owner, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, split into two companies in April 2023, with Sphere Entertainment Company taking over ownership. The Sphere reportedly cost $2.3 Billion to build.
The 18,600-seat venue has unique immersive video and audio capabilities, including a 16K-resolution wraparound interior LED screen, a cutting-edge sound system featuring directional speakers with "beam-forming" and "wave field synthesis" technologies, and 4D physical effects. Among other things, this technology allows different sections of the audience to hear entirely different audio at the same time (such as different language audio for a specific section). The venue's exterior also features 580,000 sq ft of LED displays which can be seen from miles away when illuminated.
The arena will primarily host concerts and awards shows, in addition to other entertainment events. The Sphere is not designed to fit traditional arena sports such as basketball and ice hockey, but can host sports events such as boxing and mixed martial arts, as well as E-sports tournaments.
Construction started in 2019. Construction was suspended for several months in 2020, due to COVID-19 / pandemic-related supply disruptions. The building was designed by the architecture firm Populous, based in Kansas City, MO. AECOM was named as the General Contractor for the project in June of 2019. MSG took over as general contractor starting in December 2020, with AECOM providing a supporting role.
The dome's roof required 3,000 tons of steel. Upon completion of the roof's steel frame, 6,000 cubic yards of concrete were pumped onto the roof. This formed a layer measuring 10 inches thick, and weighing around 10,000 tons. A 730-ton steel interior frame supports the LED screens and audio system inside the arena.
MSG opened Sphere Studios in Burbank, California, in May 2022 to handle production and post-production work for the Las Vegas sphere and future spheres. A 1/4-scale version of the sphere is part of the studio. MSG reportedly plans to build other Spheres around the world, with tentative plans for the next Sphere in London, England.
For more information about Sphere, please visit: https://www.thespherevegas.com.
Click on thumbnail images below to see larger photos of the Sphere.
