LAS VEGAS— Sphere, On September 29, Las Vegas’ next-generation entertainment festival will open with a concert by U2. The venue, which is the world’s largest spherical structure and is owned and operated by Sphere Entertainment, can accommodate up to 20,000 visitors and features an innovative toolkit of multi-sensory experiences to take events and shows 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 features 4D air and scent systems and will complement the Formula 1 racetrack scheduled to open in November.
The structure was illuminated for the first time on July 4, 2023, during Independence Day celebrations, showcasing the incredible visual power of Sphere. The 366-foot-tall, 516-foot-wide venue will connect to The Venetian Resortand its 580,000-square-foot, fully programmable LED exterior will be visible from the Palazzo and the Venetian.
Another cutting-edge feature of the Sphere is its beamforming technology, which allows multiple forms of content to be streamed simultaneously by directing audio to specific locations at consistent volumes. People sitting in two different sections can hear completely different content, and by using a virtual point of origin for sounds, some sounds can seem distant or whispered to you. according to MSG Entertainment.
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“We are redefining the future of entertainment with Sphere,” said James L. Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment. “Sphere offers filmmakers, artists and brands a new way to create experiences that can’t be seen or told anywhere else, and Sphere Experiences “Theatre technologies are just one way we will use venue technologies to engage the senses and transport audiences to places both real and imagined. Postcard from Earth will set a new standard for multi-sensory storytelling possibilities, and we look forward to bringing this experience to audiences at Sphere this fall.”
The new Las Vegas attraction also has inclusivity in mind, with sensory rooms located on different levels of the building, seats with movable armrests or without armrests, sensory bags available for rent, complimentary assistive listening devices, as well as ATMs with braille keypads, as Sphere is a cashless venue.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. has purchased land in London’s Stratford neighborhood to build another spherical concert and entertainment venue and plans to build more spheres around the world.
Photo courtesy of Sphere Entertainment.