More details about the 302-foot Sphere planned for National Harbor have emerged as the chief of Sphere Entertainment Co. says talks to progress the high-tech venue’s entitlement process “continue to advance.”
A detailed site plan for the development illustrates the features of the 6,000-seat suburban Maryland venue, including firmed-up arrangements for the site's entrances, public plazas and a pedestrian bridge across more than 14 acres in Oxon Hill.
The maximum diameter of the National Harbor Sphere will be 428 feet, according to documents filed with the Prince George's County Planning Department and obtained by the Business Journal. Earlier this month, we were the first to report the Sphere’s height would be 302 feet. For context, the flagship Sphere in Las Vegas, which seats roughly 18,000, is 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide.
The $1 billion-plus project is expected to occupy roughly 418,000 square feet immediately north of MGM National Harbor casino, according to planning documents. The development site is bordered by MGM to the south, Interstate 495 to the north and Oxon Hill Road to the east.
James Dolan, the CEO and executive chairman of Sphere Entertainment (and owner of the New York Knicks and Rangers), acknowledged the company had recently filed its latest site plan with Prince George’s County during its second-quarter earnings call Thursday. The company is working to secure permits with the county, and the goal remains to open the venue within the next four years, Dolan said.
Sphere Entertainment (NASDAQ: ANY) declined to comment beyond Dolan’s remarks. The Prince George’s County Planning Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This story will be updated with any response.