nme.com
21.11.2023 / 14:33
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Sphere group to “concentrate” on “forward-thinking cities” as they voice “disappointment” in London venue refusal
London Mayor had turned down plans to build an MSG Sphere in Stratford, citing issues of light pollution and negative impacts on residents.Plans for the venue – which would have been the city’s equivalent to the MSG Las Vegas Sphere – were first announced back in 2018, when the Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp (MSG) submitted a planning application to the London Legacy Development Corporation, requesting to transform a site in Stratford.If it had come to fruition, the 21,500-capacity venue would have been the largest concert arena in the UK. It would also have contained a smaller 1,500-capacity venue inside the orb-like arena for grassroots artists, as well as shops and restaurants.Now, following the plans being rejected by Khan, the operators for the company have issued a response, stating that they are disappointed in the decision and will now be directing their developments to more “forward-thinking cities” instead.In a statement shared with NME, a spokesperson for Sphere Entertainment said: “While we are disappointed in London’s decision, there are many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities.