LAS VEGAS — Sphere, a next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas, opens September 29 with a performance by U2. The venue, which is the largest spherical structure in the world and is owned and operated by Sphere Entertainment, can hold up to 20,000 visitors and has a disruptive toolbox of multi-sensory experiences to bring events and performances to the next level.
Sphere, which features 160,000 square feet of LED display canvas, 10,000 haptic seats and Sphere Immersive Sound, the world’s largest beamforming audio system, is expected to be a major disruptor in the experiential space. The $2.3 billion Sphere also has 4D scent and air systems and will complement the Formula 1 race set in November.
The structure was lit up for the first time on July 4, 2023, for Independence Day celebrations and showcased the incredible visual power of Sphere. The 366-foot-tall and 516-foot-wide venue will be connected to The Venetian Resort, and its 580,000-square-foot fully programmable LED exterior will be viewable from The Palazzo and The Venetian.
Another cutting-edge feature of the Sphere is its beamforming technology that allows multiple forms of content to be delivered simultaneously by directing audio to specific locations at consistent volumes. People sitting in two different sections could hear completely different content, and using a virtual point of origin for sounds, some audio can sound like it’s far away or being whispered to you, according to MSG Entertainment.
Related. Oak View Group and MSG Partner on New Venues and Sponsorships Entity
“We are redefining the future of entertainment through Sphere,” James L. Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO, MSG Entertainment, said. “Sphere provides a new medium for directors, artists and brands to create experiences that cannot be seen or told anywhere else, and Sphere Experiences are just one of the ways we will use the venue’s technologies to engage the senses and transport audiences to places both real and imagined. Postcard from Earth will set a new bar for multi-sensory storytelling possibilities, and we look forward to having audiences experience it at Sphere this fall.”
Las Vegas’ newest attraction also has inclusivity in mind, with sensory rooms located on different levels of the building, seating with movable armrests or no armrests, sensory bags available to rent, complimentary Assistive Listening Devices, as well as ATMs with braille number pads, as Sphere is a cashless venue.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. bought land in the Stratford area of London to construct another spherical music and entertainment venue and has plans to build more spheres around the world.
Photo courtesy of Sphere Entertainment.
