TLDR
- Prince George’s County Council unanimously approved up to $215 million in bonds for a Sphere venue in National Harbor, Maryland.
- The planned venue will have 6,000 seats and could draw more than two million visitors a year.
- Sphere Entertainment will repay the financing through future property, sales, hotel, and amusement taxes.
- County officials project $63 million in yearly local tax revenue and about 7,100 jobs once the venue opens.
- The full project is expected to cost $1.4 billion.
The Prince George’s County Council in Maryland has approved up to $215 million in public financing for a new Sphere venue in National Harbor. The vote was unanimous.
The project is led by Sphere Entertainment, the company behind the Sphere in Las Vegas. The company has been working to build more Sphere venues in other parts of the United States.
How the $215 Million Deal Works
The money will come from special obligation bonds. About $130 million will go toward site and infrastructure support through a Tax Increment Financing arrangement.
The total also includes a county-owned parking garage valued at $40 million. The garage sits on the 14-acre development site.
Sphere Entertainment will repay the public financing through future taxes generated by the venue. These include property, sales, hotel occupancy, and amusement taxes.
The full project is expected to cost $1.4 billion. The county’s support moves the plan forward after earlier hurdles.
Earlier this summer, the Federal Aviation Administration raised concerns about the building. The agency said the large illuminated structure could interfere with flight operations at nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Visitors, Jobs, and Tax Revenue
The planned venue will have 6,000 seats. Like the 17,600-seat Las Vegas Sphere, it will feature high-definition LED displays on both its outside and inside.
A study by Ernst & Young found the venue could draw more than two million visitors each year. About half of them are expected to stay overnight in the area.
The study estimates overnight visitors will spend an average of $820 each. That spending covers hotels, dining, entertainment, transportation, and gambling.
County officials say the venue will bring in $63 million in local tax revenue each year. They cite the same Ernst & Young study.
Construction is expected to produce $1.6 billion in economic benefits. It is also projected to create about 3,350 full- and part-time jobs.
Once open, the venue is projected to have an annual economic impact of $1.3 billion. It could support about 7,100 direct and indirect jobs.
Sphere Entertainment is controlled by New York billionaire James Dolan. His business holdings include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks, and the New York Rangers.
Some residents and labor groups questioned the use of public money for the project. County Executive Aisha Braveboy and the County Council said the investment will bring economic benefits to the region.
Officials described the bonds as an investment in National Harbor’s future. They said the Sphere will pay the money back through taxes.
The Las Vegas Sphere has also been in the news this month. Metallica began a residency at the venue in October.
The county council’s approval was reported on October 28, 2026. It clears a key financing step for the Maryland project.
