The second US field will be built in an area called National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Located along the Potomac River, National Harbor currently houses a convention center, several hotels, restaurants, and shops. While Abu Dhabi is planning to build an arena as big as Las Vegas, the National Harbor site will be one of the first mini-sphere locations announced last March.
Its capacity will be limited to 6,000 seats instead of more than 17,000. But it would still be difficult to abandon the smaller arena with the outdoor LED exosphere to display the “artistic and branded content” that helped make the original arena a unique part of the Las Vegas skyline.
Inside the mini-sphere will feature a high-resolution 16,000 by 16,000 pixel wrap-around screen, the company’s immersive sound technology, haptic seating and “4D environmental effects.” For AI-enhanced version of the Wizard of Oz Spectators currently playing in Las Vegas experience effects such as wind, fog, smells and apples falling from the ceiling.
Construction of the Mini-Sphere will potentially be cheaper than the original $2.3 billion, but its construction is contingent on “the receipt of certain government incentives and approvals from Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland.” Sphere Entertainment says the project will use “a combination of public and private funding, including approximately $200 million in state, local and private incentives,” but will potentially generate millions of dollars in revenue for the county and state, while supporting more than 4,700 jobs once it opens.
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