The Sphere is the latest available evidence that “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
In a decisive move intended to protect the skyline and wellbeing of East London residents, Mayor Sadiq Khan has turned down Madison Square Garden Entertainment’s ambitious proposal for a London-based iteration of the MSG Sphere, Dezeen reports. Khan said it would have caused “unacceptable harm to hundreds of residents.”
The decision comes as a major blow to the entertainment giant’s plans to replicate the $2.3 billion Las Vegas Sphere in the heart of London’s Stratford district. Plans for the London edition of the complex have been in the works since as early as 2018.
Plans for the Sphere, envisioned as a monumental, LED-adorned venue, raised significant concerns among locals. Its towering presence, akin to the height of Big Ben, and its exterior, set to be illuminated by millions of LED lights, sparked fears of negative impacts on the community as well as averse environmental impacts.
Residents expressed apprehensions about light pollution and other potential disruptions. An estimated 61 residences and 177 student rooms reportedly would have been aversely impacted.