Operator News
US – MSG Sphere at The Venetian to open in 2021
By Phil - 26 July 2019
Las Vegas Sands is closing in on what should prove to be one of Las Vegas’ must see attractions with the MSG Sphere, billed as one of the most state-of-the-art live entertainment and sports complexes in the world, beginning to take shape at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
Designed by architectural firm Populous, which specialises in stadiums and arenas, the Sphere will host concerts, residencies, corporate events and maybe even an NBA team. Located on an 18-acre site on Sands Avenue between Manhattan Street and Koval Lane, MSG Sphere at The Venetian will feature an iconic spherical shape, with a fully programmable LED exterior. It will be connected to The Venetian Resort via a 1,000-foot-long pedestrian bridge. The sphere measures 875,000 square feet and is 366 feet tall, by comparison the adjacent Palazzo Resort tower is 465 feet tall.
Nick Tomasino, Vice President of for The Madison Square Garden Company, the company behind the project, said: “This is one-of-a-kind. Nobody has ever done this before. We have a venue that incorporates all of the senses. Inside, we have the largest and highest resolution LED screen on Earth at 160,000 square feet. That’s the equivalent of three football fields. The sound is a new technology, never implemented before, using beam-forming technology, which allows you to have the same experience whether sitting in the back or the front.”
Boasting a scalable capacity of 17,500 seated, or 20,000 when there is a mix of seated and standing, a dynamically adaptive acoustics system will deliver crystal clear audio to every guest with the ability to be directed to specific locations in the bowl at a near constant volume. An infrasound haptic system will convey bass so the audience can “feel” the experience and content will be delivered at 25 megabits per second.
Construction started in September 2018 and should be completed in 2021.
George Markantonis, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Venetian Resort, added: “We’re proud to partner with MSG on a project of this magnitude. As construction on continues, it is easy to envision how significantly MSG Sphere at The Venetian will transform the entertainment experience and Las Vegas as a destination.”
Jayne McGivern, MSG’s executive vice president of development and construction, added: “We are making important progress in Las Vegas and are pleased to have added another world-class company to our team. AECOM’s experience creating bold, innovative projects makes them the ideal partner for bringing MSG Sphere at The Venetian to life. We look forward to working with them to deliver a truly groundbreaking experience for Las Vegas, one that will ultimately redefine the entertainment industry and serve as a long-term investment in the city’s role as a leading international tourist destination.”
Michael S. Burke, AECOM’s chairman and chief executive officer, the general contractor for the project, said: “We’re excited to partner with The Madison Square Garden Company to deliver a next-generation venue in the heart of the world’s most celebrated entertainment capital. We’re thrilled about this opportunity to leverage our unrivaled construction management capabilities and expertise on the world’s most complex projects to help transform an ambitious vision into a destination venue unlike any that exists today.”
