Smaller Vegas-Style Sphere Proposed For National Harbor

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD — Leaders announced Monday that National Harbor will become the second location in the U.S. to have a Sphere and the first site to host a smaller scale model.

Sphere Entertainment will develop the new venue using a combination of public and private funding, including approximately $200 million in state, local and private incentives. Sphere would support approximately 2,500 jobs during the construction phase and 4,750 jobs once operational, in addition to generating millions in additional revenue for the county and state.

Once open, the economic impact of Sphere National Harbor is expected to be greater than $1 billion annually, leaders stated.

“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” said James L. Dolan, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Sphere Entertainment. “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.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the Sphere project would be one of the largest economic development projects in Prince George's County's history.

"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," Moore said.

Prince George's County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy said the Sphere project will become a flagship project for the county, the state and region.

“This is a world-class win and an incredibly exciting moment for Prince George’s County. This achievement reflects the strong partnership we have built with Gov. Wes Moore and the state of Maryland, as well as a disciplined, experienced team that knows how to compete and win major projects at a national scale,” Braveboy said.

Revenue from the proposed Sphere entertainment venue at National Harbor in Maryland would exceed that generated from the Washington Commanders and the now-defunct Six Flags combined, according to the Prince George’s County executive. Braveboy said the smaller Sphere could be built and fully operational in four years.

Sphere in Las Vegas was recently ranked No. 1 on both Billboard and Pollstar’s 2025 lists of top-grossing venues worldwide. As part of Sphere Entertainment’s vision for a global network of venues, which now includes Sphere in Las Vegas and a planned venue in Abu Dhabi, the company has designed plans for various sized Spheres that deliver the fully immersive experiences that are the signature of Sphere in Las Vegas.

The proposed National Harbor venue would be the first smaller-scale Sphere, with a capacity of 6,000 seats. Smaller-scale Spheres would feature an Exosphere – the exterior LED display of Sphere that showcases both artistic and branded content and reaches audiences globally. The venue would also feature a 16K x 16K interior display plane – the world’s highest-resolution LED screen. All of Sphere’s advanced technologies would be incorporated, including Sphere Immersive Sound, as well as haptic seating and 4D environmental effects.