Second Sphere venue location revealed
The world’s second Sphere venue is to be built in Abu Dhabi, it has been revealed.
Sphere Entertainment and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi confirmed the longstanding rumours today (15 October), announcing they will work together to bring the next-generation project to life in the UAE capital.
Since opening the $2.3 billion Sphere in Las Vegas, US, in September 2023, Sphere Entertainment has pursued plans to develop a global network of Sphere venues, with the expansion expected to provide “significant growth potential and drive new revenue streams”.
“The vision for Sphere has always included a global network of venues, and today’s announcement is a significant milestone toward that goal,” says Sphere Entertainment executive chair and CEO James L. Dolan. “Sphere is redefining live entertainment and extending the reach of its transformative impact. We are proud to collaborate with DCT Abu Dhabi to develop Sphere in their city.”
The partners say the venue will be located in a “prime spot” in Abu Dhabi and echo the scale of the 20,000-cap Las Vegas original, which has so far hosted residencies by U2, Phish, Dead & Company and the Eagles’ ongoing run, as well as the Darren Aronofsky-directed immersive production Postcard from Earth.
“We are excited to bring Sphere to Abu Dhabi in partnership with Sphere Entertainment, providing our residents and visitors with an extraordinary new form of entertainment,” adds H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chair of DCT Abu Dhabi. “Sphere Abu Dhabi will seamlessly integrate advanced technology with captivating storytelling, creating unforgettable memories for everyone who visits.
“This partnership aligns with our Tourism Strategy 2030, further establishing Abu Dhabi as a vibrant hub for culture and innovation. By embracing cutting-edge entertainment like Sphere, we’re not only elevating our global profile but also setting new standards in immersive experiences and cultural offerings.”
“By the time we open up another Sphere, we’ll really have got that operation down”
Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s second most populous city after Dubai, and gained the 18,000-cap Etihad Arena in 2021.
Under the terms of the new partnership, DCT Abu Dhabi will pay Sphere Entertainment a franchise initiation fee for the right to build the venue, “utilising Sphere Entertainment’s proprietary designs, technology, and intellectual property”. Construction will be funded by DCT Abu Dhabi, with Sphere Entertainment’s team providing services related to development, construction and pre-opening of the venue. An estimated timescale for the development is yet to be released.
Following its opening, Sphere Entertainment plans to maintain ongoing arrangements with DCT Abu Dhabi, which are expected to include annual fees for creative and artistic content licensed by Sphere Entertainment, operational services related to venue operations and technology, as well as commercial and strategic advisory support.
Dolan discussed the logistics of constructing additional Spheres during the company’s most recent earnings call in August.
“When you take a look at this last year, we’ve really got much better at operating a Sphere. And by the time we open up another Sphere, we’ll really have got that operation down,” he said. “I keep thinking to myself, well, the next guy is going to really benefit from the fact that we learned this and we learned that, and we changed this policy and this procedure, we became efficient at this.”
The US company, which was formerly known as Madison Square Garden (MSG) Entertainment, announced in 2018 that it was planning to build a 21,500-cap Sphere in Stratford, east London. However, the scheme proved controversial and was met with opposition from various parties including local residents, councillors and rival companies.
London mayor Sadiq Khan ultimately rejected the plans in November 2023, ruling it “would result in an unacceptable negative impact on local residents”. MSG officially withdrew its planning application in January this year, saying it could not continue to participate in a process that was “merely a political football between rival parties”.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Dubai’s first mega festival ‘sets new benchmark’
Untold Dubai, touted as the region’s first mega festival, is set to return in 2025 after a successful debut.
The inaugural four-day festival took place in February, welcoming 75,000 attendees per day to the sprawling grounds of Jubilee Park, Expo City Dubai.
Tïesto, Hardwell, Armin Van Buuren, PSY, G-Eazy, Ellie Goulding, Sebastian Ingrosso and Timmy Trumpet were among the acts on the dance-heavy lineup.
Organised by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism in partnership with Expo City Dubai, the event marked the first time Untold had been exported out of Romania, where it launched in 2015 and became one of the largest festivals in Europe.
“Untold Dubai has set a new benchmark for music festivals in the region,” says Edy Chereji, co-founder and co-CEO of UNTOLD Universe.
“The overwhelming response from our fans in 2024 has inspired us to create an even more extraordinary experience for 2025. We are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of live entertainment and delivering moments that will be remembered for a lifetime.”
“Untold Dubai has set a new benchmark for music festivals in the region”
Confirming that Untold Dubai would return in 2025, Chereji says: “This was really one of the goals when we first discussed bringing Untold almost two years ago. As well as creating the kind of event that can attract music lovers and families to travel to the UAE, we wanted this event to really act as a showcase for the Expo City Dubai itself.
“We showed event organisers and various entertainment industries, from film to fashion, what this site can really offer. We also look forward to coming back with even more great music acts next year.”
Four-day passes for Untold Dubai started at Dhs700 (€176) for general admission and Dhs2,000 (€502) for VIP. Individual days started at Dhs300 (€75) for GA and Dhs700 (€176) for VIP.
Other staple events in Dubai include DJ Deian Markov’s homegrown electronic festival Groove on the Grass, Live Nation’s retro Rewind Festival and youth and contemporary culture festival Soul DXB. Read more about the burgeoning live entertainment market in Dubai and the wider Gulf States here.
The flagship Untold festival will take place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, between 8–11 August with headliners Burna Boy, Swedish House Mafia, Martin Garrix and Sam Smith.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
Untold to be Dubai’s ‘biggest-ever’ festival
Dubai is set to gain its own edition of Untold, touted as the biggest festival the city has ever seen.
Launched in Romania in 2015, the 100,000-capacity event is one of the largest festivals in Europe and has seen performances from artists including Imagine Dragons, Robbie Williams, Major Lazer, J Balvin, The Script, Jason Derulo and Ellie Goulding.
DJs including David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, The Chainsmokers, Axwell and Hardwell have also delivered sets at previous editions.
The Dubai iteration is expected to take place in February 2024, welcoming 70,000 people each night to the sprawling grounds of Expo City Dubai.
So far, superstar DJ Armin van Buuren is the only confirmed artist but organisers say the festival will see more than 100 acts – including stars from across pop, techno, K-pop and Arabic music – perform across more than five stages.
“Hosting events like Untold at Expo City Dubai is the perfect way to demonstrate the city’s capability to host mega-events”
Like the Romania event, held in the north-western city of Cluj-Napoca, Untold Dubai will be a family and cultural affair. Entrance will be open to all ages with plenty of non-musical activities also held on the Expo City Dubai site.
“Hosting events like Untold at Expo City Dubai is the perfect way to demonstrate the city’s capability to host mega-events, further reinforcing its position as an international events hub in line with the ambition of our visionary leadership to make Dubai the best city in the world to visit, live and work in,” says Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), told The National.
Festival co-founder Edy Chereji added: “Dubai is one of the top tourism destinations in the world. We have an amazing site over there and by working with our stakeholders we hope to create something that will be the next big icon for Dubai and bring more tourists to this great city”.
“By getting visitors travelling into Romania from Western Europe we showed that we can build our own global brand and that was part of the reason why we came to Dubai.”
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.