This year’s Independence Day celebrations were marked by something a little different in Las Vegas, Nevada. On 4th July 2023, The Venetian Resort hosted the grand opening of the Sphere, a huge, custom LED structure that has been billed as a ‘technological supernova’.
LEDs but not as you know them
With an estimated cost of $2.3 billion, the brand new Sphere project has been much anticipated by digital signage specialists like us and LED fans everywhere. Measuring in at 157m wide and 112m high at its broadest point, the Sphere is a custom LED installation on a much, much grander scale.
The images featured here from various sources offer views of the incredible outer shell under construction. Now complete externally, and able to be appreciated for its impressive scale and cutting-edge engineering, it’s still difficult to comprehend just how huge its ‘pixels’ are. Up close, they look like individually heat-sunk LED spotlights.
The Sphere’s creator, MSG Entertainment, is a world leader in live experiences and owns assets such as the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York.
LED technology taken to the extreme
The exterior of the Sphere features 580,000 square feet (or 54,000 m2) of programmable lighting. Inside, it’s said to be equipped with a 16K resolution wraparound LED screen, measuring 160,000 square feet (15,000 m2). The Sphere’s volume is so expansive it can fit the entire Statue of Liberty inside!
Its features don’t end there. Internally, the Sphere has 164,000 speakers and 18,600 seats. With this in mind, it is certain to be an unparalleled, immersive entertainment venue when it opens later this year.
Opening in September 2023
While the external grand opening of the Sphere saw a mesmerising, Independence Day themed display for the public to enjoy – take a look at a video of the Sphere’s grand opening here – its internal opening is set to be on a whole other level. The venue is due to be opened at a U2 concert on Friday 29th September 2023.
The rock band is no stranger to performing in Las Vegas, with a history of U2 concerts spanning just over four decades. The concert will mark the start of their three month long Las Vegas residency, U2:UV.
The future of entertainment?
As well as offering a futuristic home for live music, the Sphere is expected to host film and sporting events. Its first will come from an award-winning, legendary American filmmaker as Las Vegas Review-Journal reveals:
“In addition to ‘Black Swan’ and ‘Requiem for a Dream’, director Darren Aronofsky is adding another film under his belt on one of the biggest screens in the world. Aronofsky directed ‘Postcard from Earth’, a film that will play four times a day starting in October. The film will be an immersive experience for viewers with temperature changes, wind effects and smell, along with advanced sound technology and vibrating seats.”
The state-of-the-art, high-tech arena – also referred to as the MSG Sphere – is set to change the face of live entertainment, providing a multi-sensory light and sound experience in the largest spherical structure ever created. And this is just the beginning. Construction is already underway on MSG Sphere London after planning approval was granted in 2022.
Looking to use LED technology on a slightly smaller scale? Read our guide to getting the most from your digital signage to get started.
Image: Peace and Tea / Shutterstock.com
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