The Prince George’s County Council has voted to pass a plan to build a $1.4 billion Sphere concert and entertainment venue at National Harbor, Maryland.
The council took a final vote on the proposal Tuesday, voting 8-0 to authorize up to $215 million in special obligation bonds to help build the 6,000-seat entertainment venue and the surrounding complex. The Sphere Entertainment Co. would gradually repay those bonds to the county.
County Executive Aisha Braveboy is among the proponents of the Sphere, arguing it will generate more than triple the tax revenue produced by the defunct Six Flags amusement park and Northwest Stadium, which the Washington Commanders plan to abandon in 2030.
Under terms of the deal, the county will build a $40 million parking garage and offer up $130 million financing for bonds, which will then be paid back through tax revenues generated by the facility once it’s built. The state also kicked in over $13 million.
Work on the site could begin in the next couple of months, and the venue is supposed to open in early 2030.
The project is expected to create thousands of jobs, but some union members have been critical of the deal. Earlier this month, the council approved a labor peace agreement, which allows union groups to organize workers at the Sphere once it opens but leaves out protections for construction workers.
The Maryland venue would be the second massive glowing orb operated by the Sphere Entertainment Co., which is behind the entertainment arena in Las Vegas.
WTOP’s Kyle Cooper contributed to this report.
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