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The Sphere is bringing its technological wizardry to the East Coast

Sphere National Harbor would have a capacity of 6,000 seats and include all of the audio and visual feats of its Las Vegas counterpart. (Courtesy of Sphere Entertainment and Peterson Cos.)
By Melissa Ruggieri USA TODAY

Turns out, what happens in Vegas doesn’t only stay in Vegas.

The Sphere – the technologically superior venue just off the Strip in Las Vegas – is getting a baby replica in Maryland.

Sphere Entertainment Co., the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County and Peterson Cos. announced that the second Sphere in the U.S. will be built at National Harbor, a dining and shopping mecca within miles of Washington D.C. and Virginia.

“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” said James L. Dolan, executive chairman and chief executive officer, Sphere Entertainment, in a statement.

The proposed National Harbor location would have a capacity of 6,000 seats, about a third of the Las Vegas venue’s capacity. Like the current Sphere, the smaller version would also feature an Exosphere, the exterior LED display that showcases a rotating slate of artistic and branded content.

The venue would also be fitted with a 16K x 16K interior display plane – the same resolution as Vegas – which is the highest-resolution LED screen. The Sphere Immersive sound, which recently made its debut at Radio City Music Hall, haptic seating and 4D environmental effects that make the Vegas location a cathedral of sight and sound, would also be incorporated.

While construction, development, financing and operation are contingent upon “execution of definitive agreements,” according to Sphere Entertainment, as well as “certain governmental incentives and approvals from Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland,” the project will support about 4,750 jobs once operational.

The venue would also use a combination of public and private funding, including about $200 million in state, local and private incentives.

Since opening in Las Vegas in 2023 with a jaw-dropping spectacle from U2, the Sphere’s first music residence, the venue has hosted long-running visual and sonic feats from artists including the Eagles, Kenny Chesney, Backstreet Boys, Phish, Dead & Company and, coming in May, No Doubt.

In 2024, Sphere Entertainment announced the intention to bring the Sphere global, with a planned venue in Abu Dhabi.

The National Harbor location would present some competition for the neighboring MGM National Harbor casino, which is outfitted with the 3,000-capacity The Theater at MGM National Harbor. In recent months, the venue has presented shows from Patti LaBelle, Ludacris, Earth, Wind & Fire, Martin Lawrence, Air Supply and Amy Grant.

In addition to concerts, Sphere Las Vegas found massive success with its enhanced version of “The Wizard of Oz.” Since its August opening, more than 1.5 million tickets have been sold, resulting in more than $200 million in sales, according to Sphere brass. The film is currently playing through all of 2026.