Washington region to get smaller version of Vegas Sphere

Maryland officials have reached a preliminary deal to bring Sphere's immersive entertainment concept to the Washington D.C. area. The proposed venue would seat 6,000 people and feature the same LED technology as the Las Vegas original.

The US may soon get its second Sphere entertainment venue.

Maryland has reached a preliminary agreement with Sphere Entertainment to build a scaled-down version of the Las Vegas landmark near the nation’s capital.

The proposed arena would seat 6,000 people at National Harbor, a mixed-use development about 15 minutes from Washington D.C.

While significantly smaller than the Las Vegas original with its 17,000-person capacity, the Maryland venue would feature the same immersive LED technology both inside and out.

National Harbor currently houses a mix of retail, dining, hotels and residential properties.

Project seeks $200 million in funding

Governor Wes Moore’s office says the development would rely on a combination of public and private financing, including approximately $200 million in state, local and private investments.

Maryland estimates the project could generate around 2,500 construction jobs and 4,750 permanent positions once operational. The annual economic impact is projected to exceed $1 billion.

Sphere Entertainment has signed a letter of intent

No construction schedule has been announced yet. The project’s future depends on ongoing negotiations and approvals from Prince George’s County and the state of Maryland.

Sphere Entertainment has signed a letter of intent with state and local officials as well as property developer Peterson Companies.