ICONIC ATTRACTION WITH PERSONALITY
In September, 2023 the MSG Sphere debuted. Situated on 18 acres near the Venetian Hotel, it became the world’s largest spherical building with the world’s biggest LED screen. The financial players in this joint venture, started in 2018 between Madison Square Garden and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, would look quite different by opening day. Ken Baxter here, coming to you from sunny Las Vegas, Nevada and thanks for stopping by!
The project broke ground in June of 2019 on 18 acres supplied by the Sands Corporation. With 400 workers, they began the Herculean task of removing over 110,000 cubic yards of dirt and caliche rock. Construction was moving right along on the venue’s 80,000 square foot basement in October 2019; if only they knew the obstacles that were in their future that were beyond their control.
The estimated project cost began at $1.2 billion but by February of 2020 it had increased to $1.6 billion due to design changes. Then came the biggest scam perpetrated on the world, COVID-19. Originally scheduled to open in 2021, all work was suspended in March of 2020 for “2 weeks” due to the COVID-19 plandemic. Construction did not resume until August of 2020, due to the collapse of the supply chain affecting concrete and steel supplies.
After the death of Sheldon Adelson, Apollo Global Management (no relation) purchased the Venetian in 2022 and became MSG’s new partner on the Sphere project, replacing Las Vegas Sands Corporation. This period also ushered in the biggest surge in inflation since the Jimmy Carter presidency. By this time, the budget was cooked and the cost of the venue reached $2.3 billion dollars, the most expensive entertainment venue in Las Vegas history.
It's Big - Opening day numbers
- 875,000 square foot interior
- 8 floors + basement
- 160,000 square foot LED screen
- 80,000 square foot basement with VIP club
- Seating for 17,600 will accommodate 20,000 standing
- Highest resolution screen in the world with 16,000 x 16,000 resolution
- The venue’s exosphere is lit by an amazing 1.23 million LED pucks, each with 48 lights.
The first concert at the venue was Bono and U-2. When reviews came in people raved about the incredible, immersive, visual and auditory experience more than the band. Sphere Entertainment posted earnings of $314 million in its first full quarter that the venue was open (Q1 2024), $167 million of that from the Sphere alone.
The attraction has become a favorite in Las Vegas with its bold, and timely designs and it has proven to be a creative advertising space for many companies. Here’s hoping for the Sphere’s continued success.
I’m Ken Baxter, and thank you again for stopping by. For updates and more interesting content, don’t forget to visit We The People, Green Global and Rocketman.