Relief and optimism abounded as U2 christened the Sphere at the Venetian a fortnight ago. Concert-goers and critics alike asserted their positive appraisal, convinced that the entertainment edifice didn’t just uplift the skyline, but also promised to bolster the altitudes of the local economy.
However, the echoes of this one-of-a-kind exuberance haven’t found a similar wavelength across the Atlantic, as the residents of Stratford, a London borough that’s home to a bustling college and a blend of eateries, shopping venues and artistic spaces, are showing resistance to the Sphere sequel in their neighborhood.
The London Sphere’s location debate has been propelled, in part, by a Change.org petition initiated by Stop The MSG Sphere London. With support from 3,000 signatories to date, the petition envisages catastrophic consequences on the local transportation and residential living conditions hinging on accessibility to sunlight.
The colossal, orb-shaped unofficial entertainment emblem would tower nearly 300 feet, housing 18,000 patrons— more or less mirroring the Vegas original, albeit 20% smaller. With an estimated price tag of $975 million, the London Sphere’s colossal silhouette would compete with the city’s historic skyline, not excluding its royal clock tower Big Ben.
Residential outcry isn’t the venue’s only issue; commercial rivalry has entered the scene. AEG has publicly expressed concerns about the Sphere’s proximity to their O2 Arena. Meanwhile, Sphere Entertainment Co. CEO James Dolan presents a contrasting perspective, envisioning a global Sphere proliferation, with each Sphere adjusting adaptively to a range of locations and sizes and introducing never-before-seen media.
Local Outlook
Support within Stratford isn’t scarce though, with the officials at Sphere London sharing a 2019 survey where over 1,000 locals, accounting to 85% of the polled populace, backed the Sphere’s presence in hopes of job creation and economic stimulus.
However, the Sphere’s future is not spherical yet. It has got the green light from the London Legacy Development Corporation, conditional on an agreement to review outdoor advertising every five years. But the agreement hasn’t materialized and the clarity on Sphere’s physical embodiment in Stratford still hangs in balance, pending sign-offs from the Mayor of London, Sadik Khan, and Michael Gove, Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Despite the seeming friction on the face of the Sphere project, it is worth bearing in mind that entertainment venues like these, especially in a post-pandemic era, promise potential opportunities that aren’t too dissimilar to what is offered by digital platforms.
For instance, with the Sphere drawing up debates in one segment of the entertainment industry, another form of entertainment is thriving online. We at West Island Blog offer a haven for those intrigued by the virtual, yet just as thrilling, world of online casinos. We have curated the best in the Canadian market for you and, you’re just a click away from exploring the enticing world of online gaming—as vast and luminescent as a Sphere, but without having to step onto contested grounds!
