Home to the tallest Ferris wheel in the US and the strongest light beam on earth, Las Vegas loves to break records. The MSG sphere is just the latest light pollution generating attraction for Sin City to flex.
Earth’s largest sphere besides the planet itself doesn’t officially debut for a few more months but residents and tourists got a sneak peek to the attraction on Tuesday. As part of a July Fourth special event, the giant ball displayed a multitude of displays including the American flag, an eyeball, a basketball and even Earth itself. The Jack-o-lantern image for Halloween and a snow globe for Christmas shows how much fun the LED orb will bring to the city.
Here’s what to know about the sphere before it becomes a city staple like Bellagio’s water fountains and Paris Paris’ half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower.
What will the MSG Sphere be used for?
The eye-catching venue will host live music, film and sporting events including boxing and mixed martial arts.
Concert goers will be able to see their artists perform live alongside the appeal of being surrounded by a 16K LED screen displaying augmented animations and also serve as a 360 JumboTron showing close-ups of performers.
Rich Claffey, the Sphere operations officer, compared the experience to watching a movie on IMAX, according to CNN.
“The screen goes from ground to 250 feet high, all the way around,” Claffey said. “It keeps you fully immersed when you’re sitting in that bowl. I used to love IMAX in New York City, but this will blow that away.”
Aside from being a visual wonder, producers promise next-level audio for guests as the Sphere has over 160,000 speakers spread around the bowl. The venue will also offer 4-D experiences with seats that vibrate and wind machines.
When does the MSG Sphere open?
The MSG Sphere officially debuts to the public on Sept. 29 with a series of 25 concerts featuring U2. “U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere” will run through mid-December and celebrate the Irish band’s 1991 album “Achtung Baby”.
“Most music venues are sports venues. They’re built for sports – they’re not built for music. They’re not built for art,” says U2’s Bono in the Apple Music interview. “This building was built for immersive experiences in cinema and performance.”
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Tickets for the tour can be purchased here with starting prices at $140.
“There’s nothing like it. It’s light years ahead of everything that’s out there,” U2’s The Edge said in the video.
The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix’s street circuit will make its way through the property in November.
How big is the MSG Sphere?
One block east from the Vegas strip, the record-breaking Sphere sits at 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide. In addition to being the largest sphere, the bowl reportedly also has the largest LED lights with 1.2 million lights the size of hockey pucks.
The venue can seat nearly 18,000 people. A pedestrian walkway to the Venetian resort complex will connect the globe to the strip.
Who owns the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas?
The MSG Sphere is owned by Sphere Entertainment Co. Sphere Entertainment announced it would sell its majority interest in Tao Group Hospitality to Mohari Hospitality in April.
Architecture firm Populous, which has developed Super Bowl and World cup venues, designed the bowl. The Sphere reportedly cost $2.3 billion to build.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated who purchased the property in April.
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