LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Construction is well underway on the MSG Sphere located near the Las Vegas Strip and behind the Venetian Resort.
Representatives with Madison Square Garden Entertainment shared an update on Tuesday regarding the work being done on the concrete and steel domed roof of the Sphere.
“MSG Sphere’s domed roof will create a column-free, interior bowl, which will house the 160,000-square-foot display plane – a key component in the venue’s immersive experiences," said Nick Tomasino, vice president of construction for MSG Entertainment.
Late last week, crews successfully set the first piece of the dome’s steel frame – a roof truss that weighs more than 100 tons and is nearly 200 feet long.
The state-of-the-art entertainment venue’s dome will be made up of 32 of these pieces and, once complete, will weigh more than 13,000 tons with a surface area around 220,000 square feet – nearly five football fields.
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"This defining feature is the result of expert design, engineering and construction planning, and we look forward to seeing the roof continue to take shape over the coming months," Tomasino said.
Those pieces are being welded and bolted together at the Sands Avenue construction site, according to MSG Entertainment.
They are then set into place almost 300 feet in the air – positioned between a nearly 200-ton compression ring and a tension ring that runs the entire perimeter of the venue’s top level.
Approximately 3,000 tons of steel will be used to build the roof frame.
MSG Entertainment says the process is expected to be completed this summer, with complete construction of the MSG Sphere slated for 2023.
