The Sphere may be multiplying in a smaller, East Coast version of the popular Las Vegas entertainment venue.
Sphere Entertainment announced it has reached an agreement to develop a second location at National Harbor in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.
The company said it would “create a new Maryland landmark” when built.
While news of the spectacle is being touted by state leaders, not everyone is looking forward to some of the gridlock it may add to the area, which is already plagued by traffic.
“It’s a Sphere, so it’s really exciting,” Charmagne Reyes, who lives in the area, told WUSA. “But the traffic would be much worse because it’s the National Harbor. Whenever there are big events, it’s always backed up.”
Others are worried about the light that the venue will generate, the television station said.
Currently, the entertainment district also boasts MGM’s National Harbor Hotel and Casino. A digital rendering shows the Sphere on top of a parking lot next to the casino, WUSA reported.
While the original Sphere has hosted shows such as U2 and a reimagining of the classic film “The Wizard of Oz,” it has always been the intention to have more than one location.
“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” Sphere Entertainment CEO and Chairman, James Dolan, said in a news release.
The development will use public and private funding, including about $200 million in state, local and private funding. Approximately 2,500 jobs will be created during construction, with an additional 4,750 jobs once the facility is operational
It is expected to generate more than $1 billion in revenue annually.
The smaller sphere will have 6,000 seats and will boast a 16K x 16K display inside, immersive sound and haptic seating along with a 4D environment. The original Sphere has seating for about 18,600 people, according to the Las Vegas tourism website.
News of the new Sphere comes months after Maryland lost Six Flags America and plans continue to advance to move the Washington Commanders from the state back into Washington, D.C.
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