MSG Sphere venue could head to Abu Dhabi despite $98million loss in Vegas and rejection from London

The group who manage the MSG Sphere venues have revealed that they are in “serious talks” about opening a new site in the United Arab Emirates.

• READ MORE: U2 live in Las Vegas: a dazzling opening night at the $2 billion Sphere

In a new interview with the New York Post, James Dolan, the executive chairman of the Madison Square Garden Network, said that conversations were going “back and forth” with Abu Dhabi about the possible new venue.

He also revealed that additional plans for further venues in Saudi Arabia and South Korea had “stalled”.

The news comes after it was reported in November that Las Vegas’ Sphere, which is housing a residency by U2, had made a loss of $98.4million (£80.5million) since opening on September 29.

Reviewing U2’s Vegas residency the Sphere, NME hailed the show for “taking the live concert experience ‘to the next level’” and delivering “a fine balancing act of doing just that while also ensuring their music remains very much at the forefront”.

Earlier this month, U2 announced that they were extending their residency until March 2024.

Earlier this month, the UK government called for plans for a Vegas-style Sphere venue to be created in London to be revived, after they had been scrapped by the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan.

The original plans, first announced in 2018, would have seen a 21,500-capacity venue built, becoming the largest concert arena in the UK.

However, after five years of planning for the venue, hopes of it coming to fruition appeared to be quashed in November, when the London Mayor intervened in the decision, citing the “unacceptable negative impact” it would have on the local residents.

The proposed venue had raised concerns from some of those living in the surrounding area, who highlighted the strains on local infrastructure and health risks. The London Assembly Environment Committee also warned of the unacceptable light levels that would be created by the venue – with the finished product set to have an estimated 1million LED light bulbs on its exterior.

Following Khan’s intervention, the UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove ordered a six-week pause, to allow time for the government to re-consider the Mayor’s decision.

MSG shared a statement in light of Khan’s decision, claiming that their progress had been “hijacked” by a “bogus last-minute report” by the Mayor.

“Londoners should be dismayed that they are not going to benefit from this groundbreaking project, and others looking to invest in London should certainly be wary,” a Sphere Entertainment spokesperson told NME.

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