The Sphere: The spectacular ball in Las Vegas
In the middle of the glittering city of Las Vegas, a new main attraction opened in September 2023: an immensely large arena - disguised as a sphere.
If you stand on the famous strip of Las Vegas , you can see a huge ball in the immediate vicinity. The Sphere is the largest and probably most spectacular concert sphere in the world. Your walls are surrounded by high-resolution LED displays inside and out. To be more precise, inside is the world's first 16K LED display!
The sphere reaches a height of 112 meters and a diameter of 157 meters. It replaces the Avicii Arena as the largest spherical building in the world. 57.6 million LEDs are attached to the 54,000 m² outdoor area (also called Exosphere ). The Sphere is also the largest LED wall in the world. The areas are used for spectacular animations.
The building extends over nine levels and is divided into sections, similar to an opera house. There are 17,600 seats and standing room for another 20,000 people. There is an exclusive VIP club in the basement. The construction of The Sphere cost the equivalent of 1.8 billion euros and took 5 years.
“ Exosphere is more than a screen or a billboard — it is living architecture, unlike anything else in the world.” - Guy Barnett, Brand Strategy & Creative Development, Sphere Entertainment
Concerts, award ceremonies and various events are planned in the hall. The rock band U2 played the opening concert at the end of September. Ticket prices ranged from $500 to $1,500 per ticket. Clear, flawless sound and impressive images from vast deserts to a glittering starry sky fascinated the audience.
The largest cinema in the world
The Sphere will also become the largest cinema in the world. The cult director Darren Aronofsky is currently working on a film ( “Postcard from Earth” ) that will be shot exclusively and with a special camera for the gigantic screen of the spherical structure. The audience should not only experience the visual impressions, but also be able to perceive smells or wind. In addition, the audio system can simultaneously play the sound in different languages to the respective audience.
Around 1,600 permanently installed and 300 mobile X1 matrix array loudspeaker modules were installed by the Berlin tech company Holoplot . The startup company developed a new D-Audio beamforming and wave field synthesis technology specifically for the project, which delivers crystal-clear sound. It promises a headphone-quality sound experience, regardless of the seating position. Sphere Entertainment founded its own content team for the animations. This also takes care of the 4D experiences in the cinema.
The Sphere is an incredible billboard from the outside and a unique event backdrop with the latest technology from the inside. That makes it - along with the Bellagio Fountain and Caesars Palace - another must-see attraction in Las Vegas.
