Inside the $1.8 billion Las Vegas site – The Hollywood Reporter

build on MSG . domain At The Venetian, Las Vegas’ mega entertainment venue, it reached a milestone on Tuesday as executives pledged it will be open in time for the FIA ​​Formula 1 World Championship when it comes to Nevada in November 2023.

MSG Entertainment Senior Vice President of Construction Nick Tommasino confirmed on Tuesday at the construction site during a tour attended by The Hollywood Reporter. “The Formula One track is all about the MSG Sphere. We are thrilled to be able to partner with Formula 1 and make the race happen,” said Tomasino.

The ambitious construction project began in 2019 and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023. On Tuesday, MSG celebrated the completion of the venue’s steel outer shell, the primary structural work on the project. The exoskeleton starts at ground level and runs up to the ‘eye’, which is now secured in place, meaning the exoskeleton is self-supporting. This compression ring at the top of the ball keeps the hull in place and is 136 feet in diameter and weighs 121 tons.

When complete, the MSG Sphere is expected to become the world’s largest spherical structure, 336 feet high and 516 feet wide, and serve as a radical new entertainment venue that can accommodate up to 20,000 standing spectators or 17,500 seated guests, with 23 VIP suites.

The Sphere is expected to feature a 160,000-square-foot standard wrap-around LED display indoors, while the exterior will be painted with a 580,000-square-foot standard outdoor LED display, both of which are fully programmable and can accommodate 16K-resolution 16K image. With that said, MSG aims to transport guests to the site and the immersive on-screen experience.

Through a partnership with Berlin-based audio company Holoplot, the Sphere will feature a custom spatial sound system using up to 164,000 speakers. Additional plans include 4D capabilities from wind to scents, as well as connectivity for all guests. The interior will have three layers of cooling, including one under the seats.

When it comes to place content, MSG is already starting to reach Hollywood filmmakersand musicians, to create customized and immersive content and experiences for your wrap-around LED display. Plans also include use of the venue for live performances, sports, games and corporate events, as well as advertising on an outdoor LED screen. Tomasino confirmed that it can also display live events on an LED screen.

“We have the ability to stretch the stage in modular sections,” Tommasino said, adding that this includes the ability to stretch it forward towards the audience, as well as controlling the width and height. “We have complete ingenuity.” There is also space under the stage for artists and for after parties.

About Formula One’s plans, MSG Entertainment CEO and CEO Jim Dolan said THR“We didn’t know five years ago that Formula 1 was coming to Las Vegas, but we’re excited to partner with them. The track will go live around the MSG Sphere, giving us a prominent spot in race broadcasts and exposure to F1’s global fan base. F1 will feature stands for thousands of racing fans in Our property, and they take over the exosphere display of race-related content and activations.”

Emphasizing the ambitious plans, on May 19, MSG contract tape cut to MSG Sphere Studios, a dome with adjacent production and office spaces near Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, which will house the development of original content and immersive experiences of the venue. (The dome at Burbank, about 100 feet high, is a quarter-scale prototype of the Las Vegas Sphere.)

However, the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas is the start of a broader intent to build large spheres and domes around the world. MSG Entertainment has already announced plans for a London location, with more locations to follow.