Prince George's County Gives Final Go-Ahead to National Harbor Sphere

Prince George's County Gives Final Go-Ahead to National Harbor Sphere

An 8-0 vote on the session's last day unlocks the money

The Prince George's County Council voted 8-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to authorize up to $215 million in special obligation bonds for the proposed Sphere entertainment venue at National Harbor. The vote fell on the final day of the council's legislative session, with three of the 11 members absent. It commits the county to the public-financing share of the roughly $1.4 billion, 6,000-seat venue and surrounding complex, with Sphere Entertainment Co. gradually repaying the bonds out of venue-generated tax revenue.

A smaller sibling of Las Vegas, next to MGM

The Maryland venue would be the second Sphere in the United States operated by Sphere Entertainment Co., the company behind the 18,000-seat Las Vegas arena that opened in 2023. The National Harbor version, seating about 6,000, would sit next to the MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino on the Potomac riverfront. Plans describe a theater with high-resolution interior displays, reported at 16K by 16K, an exterior LED screen, advanced sound and 4D environmental effects, hosting concerts and brand events. Site work is expected to begin next quarter, with construction starting next year and an opening targeted for the second quarter of 2030, pending final agreements and approvals.

The official pitch: $63 million a year, triple Six Flags and the stadium

County Executive Aisha Braveboy, the project's leading champion, framed the vote as a turning point. She said the county was entering the global stage and redefining itself as a destination for investment, entertainment, technology and innovation. Her headline numbers: a $1.3 billion economic impact for the county and $1.5 billion for Maryland, plus about $63 million a year in property, sales and amusement taxes. She has repeatedly argued that is more than triple the combined tax revenue from the defunct Six Flags amusement park in Bowie, which closed last year, and Northwest Stadium in Landover, which the Washington Commanders plan to abandon for a return to Washington, D.C. in 2030. Braveboy had earlier said the venue could draw 2 million annual visitors and bring $67 million in yearly tax revenue.

Where the public money goes: bonds, a garage and state aid

The public package breaks down to about $130 million in county tax-increment financing bonds, a $40 million county-owned parking garage, and $13.5 million in state funding, part of roughly $184 million in requested government assistance against about $1.2 billion in private financing. A separate measure, CB-132-2026, would create a Sphere Community Impact Fund reserving 15 percent of certain county tax revenues from the venue for communities within a six-mile radius, split evenly between community services and infrastructure, excluding revenue already pledged to bond repayment.

Jobs pledges come with local-hiring strings

Company estimates cited in local coverage put construction at 1,750 on-site jobs plus 2,400 more through suppliers, with 328 full-time and 925 part-time positions once the venue opens. The county's impact report uses broader figures, including more than 3,000 construction-period jobs in the county and about 1,700 jobs after opening; other coverage summarizes roughly 2,500 jobs created and 4,750 supported once operational. The council attached two amendments: a Community Benefits Agreement committing the developer to local hiring, small and minority-owned business participation, and youth, education, arts and community programs, and a labor peace agreement protecting workers' ability to organize across developers, tenants, contractors and subcontractors.

What happens next: break-even math and traffic

Approval does not end scrutiny. County staff have flagged uncertainty over when the government breaks even, citing risks from lower-than-projected revenue, construction delays and cost overruns. Kasia Tarczynska of Good Jobs First argued the projections show benefits without fully accounting for the costs of public support. Nearby residents cite congestion around National Harbor and the arterial routes to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Definitive agreements and remaining approvals still lie ahead before heavy construction begins.