# The Sphere Failed. Why Are They Building More? ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More.webp]] **Creator:** The B1M · **Published:** 2026-06-29 · **Length:** 16:32 · [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um2Y01tdj7s) > Caption source: YouTube English (en-GB) manual captions via yt-dlp (default client) on the first try; an auto-translated track hit HTTP 429 but was not needed. Section headings follow the video's own chapters. Screenshots were grabbed from the 360p mp4 (format 18, android client). Host **Fred Mills** is named in The B1M companion article [Why Every City is Building a Sphere](https://theb1m.com/video/why-every-city-is-building-a-sphere) by Tim Gibson (26 June 2026). The video quotes the Vegas Sphere's cost two ways: about **$2.3BN** in the economics section and **$2.5BN** as the "final price tag" elsewhere; both are kept as stated. Contains paid promotion for KiwiCo. Extra footage and images credited to 20th Century Studios, Madison Square Garden Entertainment and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. ## Outline ### 0:00 Intro - **0:00** The Sphere "kind of broke the internet" a few years ago, and now it's back: cities all over the world are planning their own, including **Abu Dhabi**, **Korea**, **Washington DC**, **Singapore** and even **London**. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0008.webp]] - **0:23** It looks cool and could change live entertainment forever, but does it make economic sense? - **0:31** Two and a half years on, the **Vegas Sphere** still hasn't made a profit and probably won't for a while. - **0:40** A Sphere costs "a rough **$2.5BN**". Fred jokes The B1M will get one if a few more viewers like and subscribe. - **0:54** None of this has stopped **MSG Sphere**'s plan for world domination: "the attack of the spheres". ### 1:09 Vegas domination - **1:10** In a city with a literal guitar skyscraper and a miniature New York skyline, it's hard to stand out, yet Vegas did it with the **MSG Sphere**. - **1:24** At **112 m** tall and wrapped in the **largest LED display ever constructed**, it's less a building and more a piece of urban theatre, or a gigantic billboard, depending on who you ask. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0124.webp]] - **1:39** The exterior can become a basketball, a giant blinking emoji or a **human eye** staring across the Strip. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0144.webp]] - **1:49** Inside, audiences are surrounded by a **16K resolution** screen and **spatial audio**. - **1:57** It was one of a kind, a hyper-specific response to Las Vegas's over-stimulation, the sort of project that only makes sense in a city built on spectacle. - **2:12** Now the Sphere is going global, from the Middle East to Asia and North America. Abu Dhabi, South Korea, Washington DC and Singapore have all entered the conversation, and London briefly came close. - **2:35** The key question: why is every city suddenly trying to build one, and is it a good idea? ### 2:45 Breaking down the Sphere - **2:49** On paper and on social media it looks like a success: the **highest-grossing concert venue in the world in 2024**, with more than **$1.2BN in annual revenue**. - **3:05** But it cost about **$2.3BN** ("sphere-ious"), the most expensive entertainment venue ever built in Vegas, and has yet to turn a profit. It reportedly **lost more than $400M in its first year** and kept posting significant operating losses into **2025**. - **3:27** The problem lies in the nature of the structure itself, which is also one of the century's most remarkable engineering feats. - **3:32** It's the **world's largest sphere**. Under the LED screen, hundreds of interconnected **triangles** support **2,700 tonnes of steel**. A flat roof would sag in the middle under gravity, but a sphere is one of the most efficient structures, and triangles are even better. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0340.webp]] #### 3:57 Sponsor: KiwiCo - **3:57** Fred says engineering puzzles like this captured his imagination as a kid and led him into the industry. - **4:12** **KiwiCo** sends hands-on subscription projects in science, engineering and art. This month's **Planetarium Projector** is a similar shape to the Sphere; Fred built it with his kids, with changeable constellation panels and a spinning lamp underneath. - **4:59** He says building it made abstract ideas like the structural integrity of triangles click for his kids. Code **THEB1M** gives 50% off the first monthly crate at kiwico.com/theb1m. #### 5:23 Back to the economics - **5:25** The Sphere isn't a traditional arena for concerts, conferences or sport. It needs an **entirely new category of content** made just for it. - **5:41** Visuals must be custom-built and sound design tailored, with production costs running into **tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars**, which changes the economics of live performance. - **5:59** Then there are operating costs. The LED exterior, the **Exosphere**, is the **largest display surface in the world** and needs enormous amounts of energy. Exact figures aren't public, but estimates put powering and maintenance in the **millions annually**. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0602.webp]] - **6:21** In short, it's expensive to build, expensive to run and expensive to program, and yet they want to build another one. ### 6:34 The Sphere goes global - **6:35** Several Spheres are in development or under serious consideration, and one has just been officially confirmed: **Abu Dhabi**, hailed as the UAE's biggest entertainment infrastructure project in years. - **6:52** It will reportedly cost **$1.7BN**, a touch cheaper than the **$2.5BN** final price tag for Vegas, but will be almost exactly the same, holding **20,000 people** under the immersive LED screen. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0652.webp]] - **7:10** The crucial shift is in delivery. Instead of funding and building the venue itself, **Sphere Entertainment** is **licensing the technology and design** to Abu Dhabi. The host city provides the capital and takes on the financial risk, while MSG supplies its proprietary systems: structural geometry, LED technology, immersive audio and content infrastructure. - **7:24** In essence it's a **franchise model for architecture**, which could be a game changer. - **7:30** The Abu Dhabi Sphere is planned for **Yas Island**, an artificial entertainment hub with theme parks and other attractions, and will be finished by **2029**. - **7:44** It's part of the emirate's **Tourism Strategy for 2030**, which aims to diversify the economy and compete with **Dubai** and **Saudi Arabia**. Dubai may have many of the world's biggest superlatives, but not the world's biggest sphere. - **8:04** That competitive thinking drives many of the other bids. - **8:10** In **South Korea**, a Sphere is proposed for **Hanam**, just outside **Seoul**. Often called the **"K-pop Sphere"**, it would sit at the centre of **K-Star World**, a masterplan with concert venues, film studios, theme parks and media production facilities. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0815.webp]] - **8:30** It's pitched as an extension of South Korea's global cultural influence: K-pop is all about spectacle and pizazz. - **8:42** But it remains uncertain. Unlike Abu Dhabi it isn't under construction, and questions remain about its feasibility and long-term viability. ### 8:55 Choose your size - **8:57** In the US, a smaller Sphere is planned for **National Harbor** near **Washington DC**, with about **6,000 seats**, versus Abu Dhabi's **20,000** and Vegas's **18,600**, roughly one third the size. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t0900.webp]] - **9:16** This **"mini-sphere"** is meant to be more affordable and easier to copy. Fred compares it to **IKEA's Billy bookcase**: different sizes, still a Billy, and you assemble it yourself. "Architecture as product." - **9:33** It will still have an ultra-high-resolution interior display and immersive audio. Estimated cost is **over $1BN**, with opening targeted for **2030**. - **9:49** It's a potential path to **scalability**. If it works, Spheres could be produced en masse in big, medium or small sizes ("tall, grande and venti if they want one in Seattle"). - **10:10** The Sphere could go from a one-off megaproject to a **global network of venues**, which suits all the content MSG has produced that can only play in a sphere. - **10:24** Beyond planning and public acceptance, the pressing issue is whether a Sphere can actually make money. So far the answer is unclear. ### 10:35 Moneymaker - **10:36** Las Vegas has shown strong demand but also big challenges in reaching profitability. - **10:43** The model first relied heavily on **live performances**, but concerts are expensive to produce and involve complex **revenue-sharing** with artists, limiting profit. - **10:56** **Sphere Entertainment** is shifting to **producing its own content**, closer to the **IMAX model**, where the operator controls both platform and programming. - **11:13** Original shows let the company keep more revenue and pay off production costs over many screenings on rotation, but immersive content is expensive with no guarantee of success. - **11:32** The Sphere can only run **one show at a time**; if it flops, revenue could drop off a cliff. - **11:42** Fixed costs for energy, maintenance and staffing stay very high, making the business model inflexible. ### 12:00 How to build a Sphere - **12:00** Behind the spectacle is a highly engineered structure, "a true marvel", and a preview of what Abu Dhabi, South Korea and Washington are in for. - **12:17** It starts with **deep foundations**: piles and reinforced concrete to support a structure weighing more than **100,000 tonnes**, topped by a **multi-level podium**. - **12:32** The spherical form is a **steel lattice shell**, similar in principle to a **geodesic dome**. Thousands of custom steel components are fabricated and assembled in stages, starting with a **lower ring** and building upwards. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t1235.webp]] - **12:47** **Temporary steel towers** inside support the shell during assembly and give platforms for cranes and workers. Once the shell is **self-supporting**, they're removed. - **13:02** The result is a vast hollow sphere ready for seating, screens and technology. The Vegas Sphere is about **112 m tall** and **157 m wide**, the **largest spherical structure ever built**, "so far". ### 13:24 Why London failed - **13:27** One of the most high-profile proposals was rejected: a Sphere in **Stratford, East London**, near the **2012 Olympic** site. It initially got local council approval. - **13:44** In **2023**, London Mayor **Sadiq Khan** intervened and blocked it, not over engineering or finances but over its impact on the surrounding area. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t1335.webp]] - **13:55** The main issue was the **Exosphere**. In Vegas it blends into an environment already full of digital ads and lights; Stratford is mainly residential. - **14:11** Residents worried about **light pollution** from a constantly animated, brightly lit structure showing ads, and the idea proved deeply unpopular. The London Sphere was cancelled ("it just wasn't the right atmosphere"). - **14:33** The main limitation of the concept: a Sphere doesn't work everywhere. ### 14:50 The Sphere puts cities on the map - **14:47** The appeal goes beyond direct financial returns. The Sphere is above all a **symbol** of technological innovation, architectural ambition and a city's place on the world stage. - **15:00** It's built to be seen, shared and talked about, and in an era when cities compete for attention as much as investment, that visibility has value as a landmark, tourist attraction and **branding tool**. ![[images/The-Sphere-Failed-Why-Are-They-Building-More-t1512.webp]] - **15:18** If Abu Dhabi succeeds it could validate the **licensing model**; if the mini-sphere works it could unlock a scalable version. If they struggle financially or politically, the momentum could fade. - **15:35** For now the Sphere remains an experiment. It conquered Vegas, but can it "hit another home run in an entirely different ball game"? - **16:09** KiwiCo sponsor reminder and a subscribe call for The B1M. ## Things Mentioned ### Venues & projects - **MSG Sphere, Las Vegas**: 112 m tall, 157 m wide, largest spherical structure ever built; 2,700 tonnes of steel in a triangulated lattice; structure over 100,000 tonnes; 16K interior screen and spatial audio; 18,600 capacity; highest-grossing concert venue in the world in 2024 with $1.2BN+ annual revenue; cost about $2.3BN (also quoted as $2.5BN); reported $400M+ first-year loss and operating losses into 2025. - **Exosphere**: the Sphere's LED exterior, the largest display surface in the world; can show a basketball, a blinking emoji or a human eye. - **Abu Dhabi Sphere** (Yas Island, UAE): officially confirmed, about $1.7BN, 20,000 capacity, due by 2029; delivered through a licensing deal; part of Abu Dhabi's Tourism Strategy for 2030. - **K-pop Sphere** (Hanam, near Seoul, South Korea): proposed centrepiece of the **K-Star World** masterplan (concert venues, film studios, theme parks, media production); not yet under construction. - **National Harbor mini-sphere** (near Washington DC): about 6,000 seats, roughly one third of Vegas, over $1BN, opening targeted for 2030. - **Singapore**: named among cities that have entered the conversation. - **Stratford Sphere** (East London): near the 2012 Olympic site; approved by the local council, then blocked by Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2023 over light pollution and cancelled. - Las Vegas landmarks referenced: a "literal guitar skyscraper" and a miniature New York skyline on the Strip. - **Yas Island**: Abu Dhabi's artificial entertainment hub with theme parks. ### Engineering & construction - Triangulated steel lattice shell, similar to a **geodesic dome**; why spheres and triangles resist sagging. - Deep piled foundations and reinforced concrete; multi-level podium. - Staged assembly from a lower ring upwards; temporary internal steel towers removed once self-supporting. ### Business & economics - Bespoke content requirement; production costs in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. - Energy and maintenance costs estimated in the millions per year. - **Licensing / franchise model** for architecture (host city funds and carries risk; MSG supplies systems). - **Mini-sphere** scalability ("architecture as product"), compared to **IKEA's Billy bookcase**. - Shift from hosting concerts with revenue-sharing to producing in-house content, compared to the **IMAX model**; one show at a time; high fixed costs. - Cities competing for attention: Abu Dhabi versus **Dubai** and **Saudi Arabia**; the Sphere as a city branding tool. ### Products & sponsors - **KiwiCo**: hands-on science, engineering and art subscription crates; this month's **Planetarium Projector** kit; code THEB1M for 50% off the first monthly crate. - Fred Mills's book ***MEGA BUILDS*** (linked in the description). ### Credits - Companion article on theb1m.com by Tim Gibson; Get Construction Talking; The World's Best Construction Podcast. - Footage/images: 20th Century Studios, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. ## Biographies - **Fred Mills**: Presenter and co-founder of The B1M; hosts this episode (named in the companion article) and is the author of *MEGA BUILDS*. Mentions building the KiwiCo kit with his kids. - **Tim Gibson**: Author of The B1M companion article *Why Every City is Building a Sphere* (theb1m.com, 26 June 2026). - **Sadiq Khan**: Mayor of London, who blocked the Stratford Sphere in 2023 over its impact on the surrounding residential area. - **Sphere Entertainment / Madison Square Garden (MSG) Entertainment**: The company behind the Las Vegas Sphere, now licensing its design and technology to other cities and moving toward producing its own content. - **Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi**: The emirate's tourism authority, credited for images of the planned Abu Dhabi Sphere. - **The B1M**: UK-based construction and infrastructure video channel. - **KiwiCo**: Maker of hands-on STEM and art project subscription crates for kids, sponsoring the video.