Glowing orb on horizon? Proposed Sphere at National Harbor would be visible from Alexandria
Smaller version of Las Vegas landmark would add LED-covered structure to cross-river views
Residents who stroll the Old Town waterfront may soon have a new landmark to gaze at across the Potomac River: a massive, LED-covered sphere.
Sphere Entertainment Co. announced Sunday it intends to build a smaller-scale version of its Las Vegas venue at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, directly across the river from Alexandria’s historic waterfront district.
The proposed 6,000-seat venue would be the first of Sphere Entertainment’s “smaller-scale” designs and the second Sphere built in the United States. Exact dimensions have not been released, but the Las Vegas original stands 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide — taller than the Statue of Liberty. The National Harbor version would seat roughly one-third as many people.
The structure would feature the signature Exosphere — the programmable exterior LED display that has made the Las Vegas original visible for miles at all hours. That venue’s glowing exterior has displayed everything from giant eyeballs to planetary imagery to branded advertising.
Alexandria residents are already familiar with cross-river views of National Harbor, which sits roughly two miles away across the Potomac. The 180-foot Capital Wheel and the MGM National Harbor casino can be seen from Jones Point Park near the historic lighthouse, from Waterfront Park and the pier near the Torpedo Factory Art Center, and from elevated vantage points throughout the city.
The 333-foot George Washington Masonic National Memorial, perched atop Shooter’s Hill, offers panoramic views of the Potomac River and the Maryland shore from its ninth-floor observation deck. Residents in higher-elevation neighborhoods such as Seminary Hill, Rosemont, and parts of the West End, where terrain rises to approximately 300 feet above sea level, also have sightlines to National Harbor.
Even a scaled-down Sphere would likely dwarf existing National Harbor structures, potentially becoming the dominant feature of Alexandria’s cross-river vista, particularly at night, when the Exosphere would illuminate the Maryland shoreline.
Water taxi service operated by City Cruises already connects Alexandria’s marina to National Harbor, delivering visitors directly to the proposed venue’s doorstep.
Gov. Wes Moore called the project “one of the largest economic development projects in Prince George’s County history.” The development would receive approximately $200 million in state, local, and private incentives.
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy said she expects the venue to open within three to four years, pending negotiations and government approvals.
The project is contingent on definitive agreements and approvals from Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland.