Sphere Entertainment, the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County, and Peterson Companies announced today their intent to develop a new Sphere venue, which would be the second in the U.S. and first to utilize a smaller-scale design model, at National Harbor, a premier destination in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The addition of Sphere would create a new Maryland landmark that drives significant economic, cultural, and community benefits for the county, state, and region, and provides unparalleled immersive experiences powered by advanced technologies.
“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, 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 has a long history of providing world-class entertainment and we could not be more excited to work with Sphere Entertainment to bring this cutting-edge project to life,” said Governor Wes Moore. “This will be one of the largest economic development projects in Prince George’s County history – proving once again our state is the best place in the country to bring dreams to life. 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.”
National Harbor currently draws nearly 12 million visitors per year. An MGM-branded casino, called MGM National Harbor, opened on December 8, 2016, four years after voters approved the expansion of gambling in the state. The facility was built on the south side of the Beltway about a mile northeast of the National Harbor waterfront.
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“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 Governor 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,” said Prince George’s County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy. “As only the second Sphere venue in the United States, this project demonstrates the future of economic development in Prince George’s County, how we compete, how we win, and how we attract other world-class destinations that will become flagship projects for our County, our State, and the entire region. I love winning for Prince George’s County.”
“We are excited to partner with Sphere Entertainment, the State of Maryland, and Prince George’s County to bring a Sphere to National Harbor,” said Jon Peterson, Chief Executive Officer of the Peterson Companies. “This innovative project will further reinforce National Harbor as the national capital region’s premier destination for conventions, entertainment, retail and dining, and hospitality; deliver more economic activity and jobs; and elevate National Harbor and Maryland as one of the country’s preeminent tourism and entertainment hubs.”
Funding an Innovative Project
This project would utilize 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.
Located just 15 minutes from Washington, D.C., National Harbor is a top entertainment and tourism destination in the region. Situated along the Potomac River, National Harbor offers world-class entertainment, dining, retail, gaming, convention, and leisure activities to more than 15 million visitors annually. A Sphere at National Harbor would become a major year-round draw, offering an array of immersive experiences, including original Sphere Experiences, concerts, and brand events, for residents and the millions of domestic and international visitors who travel to the area each year.
Sphere in Las Vegas was recently ranked #1 on both Billboard’s 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 the 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 capacity of 6,000 seats. Smaller-scale Spheres would feature an Exospherethe 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.
Any construction, development, financing and operation of a Sphere venue at National Harbor is contingent upon, among other things, negotiation and execution of definitive agreements, as well as receipt of certain governmental incentives and approvals from Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland.
