The bright lights of Las Vegas may soon be coming to London with plans for an MSG Sphere concert.
Take inspiration
The epicenter of casino gambling, Las Vegas is the home of glitz and glamour in the United States; So much so that tourist destinations around the world can take a lot of inspiration from it. In full Vegas fashion, Macau now has a $2 billion London hotel that features a reconstruction of Big Ben, while Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands puts on a water and light show to rival the Bellagio.
Now, London is also looking forward to getting in on the action. The UK capital saw 16.1 million visits from overseas tourists in 2022, none on the 38.8 million drawn to the bright lights of Las Vegas in the same period.
A concert venue more in keeping with the flamboyant Las Vegas style is being planned
While London has plenty of retail casinos to choose from, the biggest draw lies in the cultural and historical attractions. But a concert venue more in keeping with the flamboyant Las Vegas style is being planned. The MSG Sphere was first lit up to celebrate the Fourth of July in the gambling capital of America, and it really is a sight to behold:
The UK now has plans to follow in the footsteps of Las Vegas and create a similar concert venue in Stratford, London. While supporters of the project argued that the project would provide a boost to tourism figures, opponents of the project argued that the billions of pounds it would take to build the Sphere would be better spent elsewhere.
ambitious plan
According to plans backed by Madison Square Garden Entertainment, London’s Olympic Bus Park near Stratford station will become home to the city’s version of the Las Vegas Sphere. The ball-shaped LED screen-coated building will house a 21,500-seat arena and a 1,500-capacity nightclub. The expected opening date for the Sphere has not been determined.
offer something for everyone
Commenting on the project’s official page, MSG said the London Sphere will “attract a diverse range of artists and content,” while “offering something for everyone,” including “concerts, residencies, immersive experiences, family shows, corporate events, award shows and product launches.” and selected sporting events.”
The company also secured television and radio presenter Maya Jama to reveal the “groundbreaking” plans in a YouTube video:
As for the cost, this is not entirely clear. Initially, the stated cost of the Las Vegas MSG Sphere was $1.2 billion in 2018 when the project began. However, that money soon swelled past $2 billion and eventually reached $2.3 billion by the time the 54,000 square meter LED screen lit up the horizon. Since the London version will be the same size, costs are expected to come to a similar total.
arguments against
As with every major project in a densely populated area, MSG London has its fair share of opponents. In fact, there are now several petitions in progress with the aim of blocking the project. One, entitled Stop MSG Sphere, provides emails to both Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Secretary of State for Settlement, Housing and Communities Michael Gove, urging people to voice their displeasure to politicians directly.
City council politicians also urged Sadiq Khan to deny planning permission for the controversial square. Members of the London Assembly’s Environment Committee warn that the field will have a negative impact on wildlife in the area by producing disturbing light levels. Five of the seven committee members supported this recommendation.
Wrong development in the wrong location
The opposition doesn’t stop there though. Newham Council and Greenwich Council also lodged an objection, the latter saying the Sphere would affect local transport networks. As expected, the operator of the neighboring O2 arena, AEG Europe, also spoke out, deeming the project “the wrong development, in the wrong location”.
Posts on Twitter are similarly vitriolic regarding the project. User complaints range from distracting car and train drivers to the impact on the climate crisis. One group with 848 followers called Stop MSG Sphere London warned of a “nightmare of noise” and provided sample emails to send to Khan and Gove:
who will win?
While there are plenty of dissenting voices in the MSG Sphere London debate, there are also many who support the idea. After all, Las Vegas is the tourism king of the United States, if not the world. If London wants to attract more visitors, many believe the city needs to try to embrace more Las Vegas-style glamor.
amazing sight
Twitter is also filled with admiration for the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas despite its high price tag. For example, one post with over 400 likes referred to the project as an “amazing sight”, while another said the launch of Sphere made it an “unforgettable Independence Day” for anyone watching.
There’s also a lot of excitement for the shows taking place inside the Las Vegas Sphere, specifically the U2 residency that will start in September and run through mid-December. Almost half of their dates were sold out, and the band added eight more shows to their original schedule due to high demand:
With all this in mind, it is hard to imagine that the London government would heed calls from Twitter groups and local councils to cancel their plans. This is particularly unlikely given the nation’s financial condition at this time, which is Currently at high risk according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. It is estimated that the national debt will grow by 100% by 2070, and tourism is one means of combating this.
Sadiq Khan is still giving final approval to the plans, so there is some hope for opponents. However, it really seems like the people of Stratford might have to embrace their inner Elvis Presley and get more used to a little dose of Las Vegas in London.
