Sphere Entertainment Expands with Smaller Venues, Abu Dhabi Location, and Backstreet Boys Residency

James Dolan, the CEO of Sphere, announced on Mar. 3, 2025, investor earnings call plans for smaller Sphere venues and a new international location in Abu Dhabi. These smaller venues, each with a 5,000-seat capacity, will bring the immersive entertainment experience of the Las Vegas Sphere to mid-sized cities, providing more access to high-tech, multi-sensory performances.

In addition to growing at home, the company has announced plans to build another Sphere in Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism. The coming project will learn from the Las Vegas Sphere's construction, resulting in an optimized design, upgraded technology, and preparation to return to a world-class entertainment stage.

Backstreet Boys announce Into the Millennium, an 18-show residency at the Las Vegas Sphere. The highly anticipated residency will open on Jul. 11, 2025, and celebrate their chart-topping 1999 album, which included hits like "I Want It That Way" and "Larger Than Life." Revealing the news on Instagram, the band wrote: "We're going 'Into The Millennium' all over again! Feel your Backstreet Boys Y2K nostalgia, but bigger, LARGER THAN LIFE — at @SphereVegas this July!" Images of the group were also projected on the Exosphere, and anticipation was building.

The Las Vegas Sphere is an entertainment machine in the making. More recently, it revealed its Exosphere 'emoji' mascot, which is available to connect with audiences via energetic digital expressions. Dolan also teased a future show that would make "full use" of the Sphere's state-of-the-art visual and sound technologies in an immersive experience. An official announcement about this new production is set for later this month.

With plans for smaller Spheres, a global expansion into Abu Dhabi, and a star-powered residency lineup, Sphere Entertainment Company is shaping the future of live entertainment.