A giant orb covered in LED screens aimed at becoming London’s next innovative entertainment venue has been scrapped by the US investors backing the project.
Known as ‘Sphere’, the 21,500-capacity venue set to be built in Stratford had hoped to impress like its Las Vegas counterpart, which opened in late 2023 and gained popularity online for its high-quality and unique projections.
???????? | “The Sphere” en Las Vegas, Nevada: pic.twitter.com/7XDFkhq0kT
— UHN PLUS (@UHN_Plus) December 18, 2023
Now, Sphere Entertainment, the group behind the venue, has pulled the plug on its London plans after claiming it had become embroiled in a game of “political football” between the government and the mayor of London.
Mayor Sadiq Khan was in favour of the deal back in 2018 but switched his stance last November, arguing it would “result in an unacceptable negative impact on local residents”.
The concerns surrounded the glare from the LED screens, which residents worried would cause light to intrude into their homes.
Inside the Sphere Las Vegas Source: WIRED
Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary, said he would review this decision but it was too late for the government once the US investors made their decision.
James Dolan, who is the chief executive officer of Sphere Entertainment and its sister company Madison Square Garden Entertainment, said he lost patience with the process once it began getting political.
“We felt we put in a very good application that got support from the appropriate places and followed the governmental process. It was hijacked by the mayor, who did not follow his own process and made it a political thing,” Dolan said.
Looking forward, Dolan is confident in working with a new city to launch its Sphere and has promised he wouldn’t be tempted to come back to London.