The world's second Sphere will be built in the capital of the United Arab Emirates after the opening of the first in Las Vegas. Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism and Sphere Entertainment Co. announced the plan late Tuesday to bring a Sphere to the Middle East. The announcement offered no financing information, nor did it say where the Sphere would be built in the UAE capital, per the AP. The massive Las Vegas Sphere opened in 2023 as the gambling capital's most expensive entertainment venue; originally projected to cost $1.2 billion, the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes that it actually clocked in at $2.3 billion. The UAE version of the Sphere is estimated to run about the same.
The Sphere has a high-resolution LED screen that wraps halfway around the 17,500-seat audience. The venue has hosted concerts and sporting events, among other happenings. Abu Dhabi has been trying to differentiate itself as a travel destination from neighboring Dubai in the UAE, an energy-rich federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE is also preparing to open its first casino. However, some projects in the UAE have failed to be built or been delayed for years after being announced in economic downturns.
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