On Thursday, National Harbor got one step closer to a 300-foot Sphere entertainment venue joining the skyline.
One week after the Prince George’s County Council approved financing for the project, the county planning board unanimously approved a detailed site plan after a public hearing.
New renderings obtained by News4 reveal how the 302-foot attraction will look along the National Harbor skyline.
Sphere Entertainment
Sphere Entertainment
They also show the view from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and from nearby Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Sphere Entertainment
Sphere Entertainment
The images show an inside look of the 6,000-seat venue, and what the Sphere would look like in comparison to the MGM Casino and from the Beltway.
Sphere Entertainment
Sphere Entertainment
They also lay out logistical details, like the pedestrian bridge from the parking lot to the venue.
Before Thursday’s vote, Prince George’s residents shared why they either support or disagree with the proposed project.
“Put this out in the middle of a field someplace, not in a single family rule residential,” one resident told News4. “Put it somewhere else where you already have six-lane highways.”
Some speakers addressed economic concerns for the county. The closure of the Prince George’s Six Flags location, and those job losses along with federal job cuts, has left the county searching for a new driving source of tax revenue and employment.
“I believe a project of this magnitude has the potential to create lasting benefits for the people who already call Prince George’s County home,” said another speaker at the hearing. “First our schools must benefit.”
Another resident expressed concern over light pollution for residents and wildlife in the area.
Sphere representatives addressed how the venue would address environmental concerns.
“The panels that are used on this sphere at the National Harbor are less bright than the panels that are used in Las Vegas,” they said during the hearing.
Sphere Entertainment
Sphere Entertainment
They also discussed traffic mitigation.
“This is the principle offering of how we get our patrons and guests to the show,” they said. “We have 5 drive-outs with 5 drop-offs on either side, to the venue and away from the venue, as quickly as we possibly can.”
James Hunt, the acting planning director for the county planning department, said those preparations were enough for the project to move forward.
“It met all the requirements related to the zoning ordinance, those development standards that are out there,” Hunt said. “They met all the requirements of the intent of the overall design of National Harbor.”
The Prince George’s County Planning Department says the next step in the plan is to figure out all the necessary requirements for parking, which will likely take place in the spring. There will also be a public hearing to share parking concerns.
