Billed as the world's biggest spherical structure, The Sphere At The Venetian in Las Vegas was illuminated for the first time to celebrate Independence Day.
The custom arena, designed by live event venue architects Populous led by Senior Principal Nicholas Reynolds, ran the "Exosphere" - a 580,000-square-foot curved LED screen covering the outside of the arena, giving a taste of what is to come when the Sphere officially opens on September 29.
Designed primarily for concert residences, the venue will open with a 25-show run by U2, check out this video of Bono and the Edge exploring the inside of the building in May, 2023. At one point, The 18,700-seat theatre can also host sporting events and other large-scale immersive shows, such as the planned Postcard from Earth, which will open in October.
Some Stats
- Height: 366 feet (112 m)
- Width: 516 feet (157 m)
- 20,000 capacity standing, 18,000 seats depending on configuration,
- 10,000 seats fitted with haptic technology that can be programmed to enhance cues in lighting and sound
- Interior 16k resolution wraparound LED screen
- 164,000 speakers surrounding the audience
- Nine levels for VIP viewing, multiple events and a nightclub in the basement
- Additional immersive technology features are planned including scent and wind replication