A sibling to the Las Vegas Sphere — a dazzling immersive music and entertainment experience that generated nearly $800 million in revenue last year, according to its owners — is now a step closer at National Harbor.
In an eight to zero vote, the Prince George’s County Council created a development district that will, among other things, create a tax increment financing plan. It is forward movement for the ambitious project.
An outside analysis estimates the venue will employ over 1,200 workers with 164 full time corporate jobs.
It is projected to have a $69 million payroll and an estimated $1.3 billion total annual economic impact once operational.
Construction is expected to take three years, and labor unions are asking the county council to ensure the jobs created are local.
“At the end of the day, project labor agreements are the only real way to ensure that local Prince George’s County residents don’t just get good, one-time jobs on this project, but get long-lasting careers that can start with a good union apprenticeship,” Greg Akerman, president of the Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council, told News4.
The project has been conceived as a public-private partnership. The county would bring $200 million to the table, borrowed against the taxes the Sphere is expected to generate.
