Las Vegas Sphere planned for Abu Dhabi 2029

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Sphere Entertainment Co. said on May 14 that Yas Island has been selected as the site for Sphere Abu Dhabi, a 20,000-capacity venue expected to be completed by the end of 2029. The companies said the project carries a construction-phase cost of $1.7 billion, not $17 billion as some social-media posts said. (sphereentertainmentco.com) The venue would be the second Sphere globally and the first outside the United States, extending the format that opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. The announcement adds a specific location and cost to a plan first disclosed in October 2024, when Sphere Entertainment and DCT Abu Dhabi said they would work together to bring the next Sphere to the emirate. A July 25, 2025 filing with the U.S. (sphereentertainmentco.com) Securities and Exchange Commission showed the parties had since finalized franchise, development and pre-opening services agreements tied to the Abu Dhabi project. ### Where exactly will the Abu Dhabi Sphere go? Yas Island was named on May 14 as the site for Sphere Abu Dhabi, with the companies saying the venue will sit on a plot between Yas Mall and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. Sphere Entertainment said the site will place the building near other Yas Island attractions and theme parks. (sphereentertainmentco.com) Miral, the developer behind Yas Island’s broader leisure and tourism portfolio, describes itself as a creator of immersive destinations in Abu Dhabi. The May 14 announcement did not identify Miral as the project developer, but it placed the Sphere within the island’s existing entertainment district. ### Is the budget really $17 billion? Sphere Entertainment’s May 14 release put the figure at $1.7 billion for the construction phase. (dct.gov.ae) DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak said in the statement that the emirate’s “USD 1.7 billion investment in its construction phase” showed Abu Dhabi’s long-term commitment to the project. The $17 billion figure in some online posts does not match the company or government statements reviewed for this article. (sphereentertainmentco.com) Sphere Entertainment’s October 2024 announcement also described the Abu Dhabi venue as echoing the scale of the 20,000-capacity Las Vegas Sphere, but it did not cite a $17 billion cost. ### What kind of venue are they planning? (miral.ae) Sphere Entertainment said the Abu Dhabi building will have capacity of up to 20,000 and will host three main categories of events: proprietary Sphere Experiences, concert residencies, and marquee or brand events. The company said the venue’s configurations are intended to accommodate uses ranging from combat sports to conferences and product launches. (sphereentertainmentco.com) James L. Dolan, Sphere Entertainment’s executive chairman and chief executive, said the project is “the first step” in the company’s vision for a global network of venues. In the earlier October 2024 announcement, the company said the Abu Dhabi site would mirror the scale of the Las Vegas Sphere. (dct.gov.ae) ### How long has this been in the works? Sphere Entertainment and DCT Abu Dhabi first announced the Abu Dhabi plan on October 15, 2024. That statement said the parties would work together, subject to definitive documentation, to bring the world’s second Sphere to Abu Dhabi. A July 25, 2025 SEC filing said Sphere Entertainment Group, a company subsidiary, and DCT had finalized a franchise agreement, a joint development and partnership agreement, and a pre-opening services agreement for Sphere Abu Dhabi. (sphereentertainmentco.com) The filing said the franchise agreement runs for 25 years from the venue’s opening, with options for two additional 10-year renewals at DCT’s option. ### What happens next before it opens? Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2029, according to the May 14 announcement. (sphereentertainmentco.com) The companies said the venue’s exterior “Exosphere” will be used to showcase large-scale art and visual storytelling tied to Emirati culture. (dct.gov.ae) Before opening, Sphere Entertainment Group is set to provide pre-construction and construction-related services under the 2025 agreements, according to the SEC filing. The same filing said the parties expect to enter an operational services agreement before the venue opens. (sphereentertainmentco.com) (sec.gov)