Sources: Sphere Entertainment considers venue in Nashville
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Representatives of the Sphere music venue in Las Vegas and local business people have discussed the possibility of bringing a smaller version of the venue to Nashville.
Why it matters: Nashville would gain a unique concert hall that is known for hosting the world's most popular artists for extended residencies — something the local live music ecosystem currently lacks.
Driving the news: Sphere representatives have held talks with Nashville executives who would be logical partners for such projects, according to multiple sources aware of the discussions.
- The sources, who were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record, say the talks are very preliminary.
- Sphere Entertainment did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Flashback: The original Sphere opened in 2023 as a live music oddity. The $2.3 billion globe-shaped entertainment hall earned critical acclaim for its unique concert experience.
State of play: The company has been candid about wanting to expand to more cities. Sphere Entertainment Co. already announced plans for a second Sphere in Prince George's County, Maryland.
- While the Las Vegas venue is skyline-altering and can hold 20,000 fans, the new Sphere planned for Maryland would have a capacity of just 6,000.
- In a statement last month, Sphere Entertainment executive chairman and CEO James Dolan reiterated the company's focus on "expanding Sphere's global footprint."
Zoom out: The Las Vegas Sphere hosts concert spectacles headlined by artists like U2, Kenny Chesney and Metallica.
- Artists frequently book a slate of shows that serve as residencies for several weeks or months.
- The venue attracts fans from all over the world.
How it works: The Sphere utilizes its unique shape to create an encompassing sound and visual arts backdrop.
- Music journalists have generally given the concert experience positive reviews. Rolling Stone hailed the Sphere as "a quantum leap forward for concerts."
- The Sphere has also hosted other events like immersive screenings of "The Wizard of Oz."
The big picture: Nashville is in the midst of a music venue arms race, with the nation's largest corporate concert companies building larger concert halls in recent years.
- AEG opened The Pinnacle in downtown last year, and Live Nation plans to open The Truth in Wedgewood-Houston this fall.
- Although the Ryman Auditorium occasionally books artists for short residencies, Nashville hasn't yet opened a venue with a model like the Sphere.
Between the lines: Picture artists like Taylor Swift or Garth Brooks booking a long run of shows that would draw distant fans to Nashville.
Reality check: The Sphere's venue in Maryland came with tax incentives totaling about $200 million.
- That's a steep price tag that may be harder to come by in Nashville.