£1.75 billion MSG Sphere in Las Vegas is set to be replicated in London

15 July 2023 , 20:55

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The MSG (Madison Square Garden) Sphere, is lit up as a basketball to celebrate the 2023 NBA Summer League

The MSG Sphere, an enormous entertainment venue measuring 366 feet in height, is set to be replicated in London.

The recently constructed giant ball is located at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas and there are plans to build more Spheres around the globe to transform entertainment. The Sphere's exterior is fitted with 1.2 million small LED screens capable of creating impressive animation effects. A 250-foot-tall LED screen will be positioned inside the venue behind the performers.

This screen will wrap around and extend over the audience, displaying large-scale videos of the ongoing performance or other animations to enhance the experience. To create a 3D experience, the Exosphere uses 1.2 million LED "pucks" spaced eight inches apart across its entire exterior.

Each puck has 48 independent LED lights and can produce 256 million colors, providing a vast canvas for artists and brands seeking the world's largest billboard.

An aerial view shows the MSG Sphere being constructed

"The Exosphere is more than a screen or a billboard — it is living architecture, and unlike anything that exists anywhere in the world," said Guy Barnett, senior vice president of Brand Strategy and Creative Development for Sphere Entertainment Co.

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"[July 4's] show provided a glimpse of the Exosphere's captivating power and the possibilities for artists, partners, and brands to create compelling and impactful stories to connect with audiences in new ways."

This month, the Sphere has become a prominent backdrop for sporting events. The venue is scheduled to open as a performance venue on September 29, commencing with a series of U2 concerts.

MSG Sphere lights up for NBA Summer League

To promote the arrival of the NBA Summer League, MSG's Sphere has been illuminated to resemble a basketball over the past few weeks. Its mesmerising appearance has generated excitement on social media platforms, as well as stunning players, fans, and media. The exterior display was unveiled for the first time on July 4, coinciding with Independence Day celebrations.

Initially announced by The Madison Square Garden Company in February 2018, the project was expected to be completed in 2021. However, delays caused by the pandemic pushed the completion date to 2023. While not yet fully finished, the venue's interior is set to open to the public in September.

Las Vegas visitors go wild and sit in garages and trees to catch first look at the MSG Sphere (Brian Prahl / SplashNews.com)

Spanning 875,000 square feet, the Sphere is the largest spherical building globally. The venue will include 164,000 speakers and provide high-speed internet access in its 18,600 seats.

Despite an initial budget of $1.2 billion (£916M), the project's total cost amounted to $2.3 billion (£1.75B), making it the most expensive entertainment venue ever constructed in Las Vegas—$400 million (£305) more than Allegiant Stadium, which has been the home of the Raiders since 2020.

Rory Robinson