A more than 300-foot Sphere could reshape the National Harbor waterfront skyline.
News4 obtained proposed plans for the Las Vegas-inspired project in Prince George’s County. If approved, it would tower over the MGM National Harbor casino.
The concept site plan details how the Sphere would be connected to the MGM building. It would include a separate parking garage, along with a sheltered pedestrian bridge for visitors to get between the two sites.
Courtyard plazas would surround the 6,000-seat venue and would include rideshare and shuttle bus drop-offs for guests.
“To have it, it will be beautiful,” said one resident who visited the Sphere in Vegas.
Others said they’re concerned about the impact on traffic.
National Harbor is about five miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
News4 reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration. They said in a statement: “Under federal law, developers must give the FAA the opportunity to evaluate proposed structures near airports to determine whether they could pose a hazard to aircraft or interfere with navigation aids.”
Under the proposal, the county would bring $200 million to the table. The funds would be borrowed against the taxes the development is expected to generate. It would be a public-private partnership.
The county executive’s office released this statement after News4 obtained the new site plan: “The county executive and our residents are excited about the potential that Sphere represents for Prince George’s County, but it’s important to be clear: The project is still in the planning stages, and every element must be thoroughly reviewed and approved. When approved, Sphere will provide construction jobs, long‑term staffing positions, and an increased tax revenue. Prince George’s County will be a destination location for tourism which will generate revenue for our restaurants, businesses, and hotels. We look forward to the process moving forward and breaking ground.”
The project would cost more than $1 billion and would take three to four years to build if approved.
