U2 fans could have a chance to experience the MSG Vegas Sphere a lot closer to home

Cancel those flights to Vegas.

If, like the rest of Ireland your social feed has been dominated by clips of the various optical illusions laying within the Las Vegas Sphere, you may be interested to know there’s talk of a second venue of similar scale being erected in London.

But, as you’d imagine, the potential installation of a 300-ft high, 160,000 square feet venue lined with floor-to-ceiling screens in the middle of East London isn’t exactly going down a treat with residents.

 

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The controversial venue has been proposed for the the former Olympic Park in Stratford, with planning approved by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) in March 2022. As with the original Sphere in Las Vegas, the proposed sister venue is the brainchild of the Madison Square Garden (MSG) company, who have said it will be “a state-of-the-art music and entertainment venue that will pioneer the next generation of immersive experiences.”

Sounds great, but not if it’s potentially being built a mere 250 feet from your home.

A proposed image of the MSG Sphere in London.

A Stop MSG Sphere campaign group in the area are making waves, saying its supporters are “terrified” of the plans for the new Sphere, which they believe “will severely blight the area.” Speaking to CBS, the group’s spokeswoman, Lindesay Mace said they are not necessarily against a new music venue in the area, but rather the “offensive nature of the building.”

The proposed venue which would cost an estimated £800,000,000 also made headlines this week after the developer offered black-out window blinds for those who live closest to the venue.

Also speaking to CBS, local Green Party councillor Nate Higgins said “Stratford is not Las Vegas.”

“I’ve lived there for my entire adult life, it is not the same thing.”

Header image via Getty 

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