The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in 2023 and has hosted residencies from U2, Phish, Dead & Company, Eagles, and Anyma
The Sphere is seen during the opening night with U2:UV Achtung Baby Live concert at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on September 29, 2023. The Sphere is a spherical music and entertainment arena in Paradise, Nevada, near the Las Vegas Strip and east of the Venetian resort. The project was announced by the Madison Square Garden Company in 2018, and construction was underway the following year. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Immersive concert venue the Sphere is expanding into new markets. Sphere Entertainment, founded by Madison Square Garden executive James L. Dolan, opened its first location in September 2023. Now, the entertainment company has its sights set on launching a second Sphere in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The 20,000-capacity venue will open in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi.
“Sphere Abu Dhabi will seamlessly integrate advanced technology with captivating storytelling, creating unforgettable memories for everyone who visits,” DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak shared in a statement. “This partnership aligns with our Tourism Strategy 2030, further establishing Abu Dhabi as a vibrant hub for culture and innovation. By embracing cutting-edge entertainment like Sphere, we’re not only elevating our global profile but also setting new standards in immersive experiences and cultural offerings.”
Dolan added: “The vision for Sphere has always included a global network of venues, and today’s announcement is a significant milestone toward that goal. Sphere is redefining live entertainment and extending the reach of its transformative impact. We are proud to collaborate with DCT Abu Dhabi to develop Sphere in their city.”
The Las Vegas Sphere is an unmissable building standing 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide. Its walls and ceiling are covered by a 16K-by-16K-resolution screen for maximum immersion. The location took seven years to complete and reportedly exceeded $2 billion in budget. Since opening last year, the venue has hosted residencies from U2, Phish, Dead & Company, Eagles, and Anyma.
“This will be a quantum leap forward in the sense of what a concert can be,” says U2 guitarist the Edge told Rolling Stone before the band performed the first-ever Sphere concert. “It gives you the opportunity to bring people back in time, and to worlds that are completely computer-generated, but completely believable. It’s a new genre of immersive experience, and a new art form.”
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