Second Sphere Set To Be Built, This One In Maryland

The Sphere is getting squared.

Sphere Entertainment announced Sunday its intention to build a second Sphere arena at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. This would be the second Sphere in the U.S., following on the heels of the wildly successful Las Vegas Sphere.

The second Sphere will be roughly one-third the size of the venue in Vegas.

“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” James L. Dolan, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sphere Entertainment, said in a release. “Sphere is a new experiential medium. With a commitment to bringing innovative opportunities to residents and visitors, Governor Moore, County Executive Braveboy, the State of Maryland, and Prince George’s County recognize the potential for a Sphere at National Harbor to elevate and advance immersive experiences across the area.”

Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland was equally excited at the news.

“Maryland has a long history of providing world-class entertainment and we could not be more excited to work with Sphere Entertainment to bring this cutting-edge project to life,” said Moore. “This will be one of the largest economic development projects in Prince George’s County history — proving once again our state is the best place in the country to bring dreams to life. We’re excited for what this means for our people, and how it will showcase the best of what Maryland has to offer to everyone who visits.”

Funding and details

The National Harbor project would be backed by a mix of public and private funding, including roughly $200 million in state, local, and private incentives. Sphere Entertainment estimates the project would support about 2,500 jobs during construction and approximately 4,750 permanent jobs once the venue is operational, while generating millions of dollars annually in new revenue for Prince George’s County and the state of Maryland. Once open, Sphere National Harbor is projected to have an economic impact of more than $1 billion per year.

The existing Sphere in Las Vegas was recently ranked the top-grossing venue in the world by both Billboard and Pollstar for 2025. The National Harbor project would represent the first smaller-scale Sphere, part of the company’s broader plan to develop a global network of venues that includes a planned Sphere in Abu Dhabi.

The proposed Maryland venue would seat approximately 6,000 people and include the exterior LED “Exosphere,” capable of displaying large-scale artistic and branded content. Inside, the venue would feature a 16K-by-16K interior display — the highest-resolution LED screen in the world — along with Sphere Immersive Sound, haptic seating, and 4D environmental effects.

The Vegas site has proved to be wildly popular, both with guests and the acts it has hosted, which have included U2, Phish, Dead & Company, The Eagles, and Zac Brown Band.

It also has been hosting a showing of an enhanced and remastered version of The Wizard of Oz, which has generated over $260 million in ticket sales since its debut last August.