Team Behind Las Vegas Sphere Plans 5,000-Capacity 'Mini-Spheres' (avinteractive.com) 20
Sphere Entertainment Co, the company behind the Las Vegas Sphere, said they are considering opening scaled-down versions of the immersive venue in other cities. AV Magazine reports: While this has been been feasible for its high-profile residencies such as U2, the Eagles, Dead & Company and Anyma, smaller venues could attract a broader range of artists who might not have the budget or demand to fill the flagship Las Vegas location. By scaling down the size while retaining the signature technology, Sphere Entertainment Co can offer a similar spectacle at a more sustainable cost for artists and spectators.
The possibility of mini-Spheres follows news that a full-scale venue will open in the UAE as a result of a partnership between Sphere Entertainment Co and the Department of Culture and Tourism -- Abu Dhabi. Beyond concerts, the Las Vegas Sphere has proven successful with immersive films such as V-U2: An Immersive Concert Film and the Sphere Expeience featuring Darren Aronofsky's Postcard from Earth, which In January passed 1,000 screenings. "As we enter a new fiscal year, we see significant opportunities to drive our Sphere business forward in Las Vegas and beyond," said Dolan. "We believe we are on a path toward realizing our vision for this next-generation medium and generating long-term shareholder value."
The possibility of mini-Spheres follows news that a full-scale venue will open in the UAE as a result of a partnership between Sphere Entertainment Co and the Department of Culture and Tourism -- Abu Dhabi. Beyond concerts, the Las Vegas Sphere has proven successful with immersive films such as V-U2: An Immersive Concert Film and the Sphere Expeience featuring Darren Aronofsky's Postcard from Earth, which In January passed 1,000 screenings. "As we enter a new fiscal year, we see significant opportunities to drive our Sphere business forward in Las Vegas and beyond," said Dolan. "We believe we are on a path toward realizing our vision for this next-generation medium and generating long-term shareholder value."
Operating losses are high now and this will just d (Score:1)
Operating losses are high now and this will just drive it up I can get more loans for this?
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Why do all your titles end prematu
Of course UAE wants one. (Score:4, Interesting)
The people running UAE are all about big expensive "megaprojects", few of which make much sense. They want to make UAE a luxury vacation destination for the wealthy of the world. They do have a nice location given they are close to what is likely the center of the global population: http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=D... [gcmap.com]
They are about 3500 nm from most of Africa, Asia, and Europe, in range of popular aircraft like the Boeing 737. With aircraft with "longer legs" like an Airbus A320, with range somewhere between 6000 and 8000 nm, that puts UAE as a destination for a single hop from most anywhere in the world that isn't covered in ice or water.
The people in charge of UAE know that the petroleum gravy train will come to an end eventually so they are looking for alternative ways to bring in money. Making the place a destination for people looking to drink alcohol and swim in revealing swimsuits isn't exactly in line with their Islamic history and laws. It appears they turn a blind eye to some of that hedonism, so long as it makes them money to do so. This has caused problems with attracting tourism since it can be too easy to fall outside of the law. This creates friction among the citizens at times since they will sometimes see foreigners get away with activities that could get them arrested, or worse, if they did the same.
UAE is a mess, and it will be interesting to see how they end up adjusting to a world beyond petroleum. If they don't figure out how to attract tourists, or something else, to produce an income then their fancy spherical auditorium will be just another failed megaproject.
Say goodbye to your night sky (Score:3)
If you invite one of these into city, say goodbye to what's left of your night sky.
Re: (Score:2)
I live in a big city and sometimes on rare occasions there are actually pretty night skies - but if you go near the shipping yards the enormous lights they have on all night so they can unload cargo make the stars go away.
So I suspect you're right, anyone who lives near one of these should say goodbye to the stars and hello to madly flickering lights coming in through the blinds all night.
Not really a problem (Score:2)
If you invite one of these into city, say goodbye to what's left of your night sky.
I had a hotel room in Vegas overlooking the Sphere.
After around 10pm or so, the Sphere just turns into showing the moon slowly rotating - so no flashing colors, all gray tones, and also not as bright.
Plus if you think about it the mini-spheres would have a far smaller outside anyway, meaning effects on night sky are probably no worse than a Wal-Mart parking lot, and they would be in the middle of cities with a ton of light p
Spheriously? (Score:2)
Can't tell how much they're scaling it down. From 20,000 people to 2,000? 200? 20? 2?
Re: (Score:3)
Oh, I see. 5,000-capacity sphere. I read the OP as 5,000 mini-spheres. Which seemed like a lot.
5,000-capacity is still pretty big. That's just going down from a Venti-Sphere to a Tall-Sphere.
At 1/4 the size, they'd cost 1/4 as much... so... only $600 million each. They'll lose money on each one, but make it up in volume?
I wonder ... (Score:2)
Star Trek Experience (Score:2)
Will it fly outside of the L.V. (Score:2)
Even in Las Vegas, the sphere is a huge money sink but even so, visitors are already primed to have their wallets emptied out by the casinos, hotels, restaurants, parking lots, ATMs, taxis, and strip joints. They are ready to spend outrageous prices for tickets to concerts and shows at the place so that they can see Don Henley or Bono lip-synch to all their favorite tunes. The question is will locals and/or tourists, where the mini-speres are placed, be so willing when they're back into real life instead of
They already have one (Score:2)
Captain, we need more power to waste! (Score:2)
Yes, let's make smaller shows more expensive. (Score:2)
You know, club shows right now are getting ridiculous. A 5000 person venue with a national level touring band is commanding upwards of $100 a seat, even if it's just an up-and-comer band. You make those venues into some uber-expensive tech-hub bullshit instead of just a club with a stage, and I can see ticket prices escalating into the stratosphere to start matching nostalgia pricing like the recent Foreigner/Styxx tour that was asking $170 for GA nosebleed seats. If venues want to price their audience out