One of the world’s most interesting and innovative multi-purpose venue projects, which takes the form of a giant sphere with a fully-programmable LED exterior, will see AECOM as its general contractor, it has been announced.
The MSG Sphere, currently under construction at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, is a first-of-its-kind venue that measures 360ft tall and 516ft wide with capacity for 17,500 seats where visitors will be surrounded by an immersive audio and visual experience from the largest and highest resolution LED screen in the world.
For concerts and sporting events, More than 160,000ft2 of display surface (equal to three American football fields) will curve up, over and behind the stage and audience, delivering a totally immersive visual environment – at a resolution 100 times better than today’s HD televisions.
An advanced acoustics system features beamforming technology, enabling audio to be directed to specific locations in the bowl at a volume that remains constant – from point of origin to destination. Beamforming technology also allows multiple forms of content to be delivered simultaneously, which means two people — sitting five feet apart – could hear completely different things, adding to the possibilities for a truly customized experience.
To awaken the sense of touch, an infrasound haptic system will use deep vibrations so that guests can “feel” the experience. The MSG Sphere will also deliver scents to play to the audience’s sense of smell.
Additionally, the ground-breaking venue will introduce a new architecture for connectivity that will deliver 25mbs per second for every guest, enabling a broader range of content and greater interaction.
AECOM, which has worked on some of the world’s biggest stadium and entertainment facilities will be tasked with delivering the ambitious project.
“We’re excited to partner with The Madison Square Garden Company to deliver a next-generation venue in the heart of the world’s most celebrated entertainment capital,” said Michael S. Burke, AECOM’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We’re thrilled about this opportunity to leverage our unrivaled construction management capabilities and expertise on the world’s most complex projects to help transform an ambitious vision into a destination venue unlike any that exists today.”
