Bill Introduced to Study Environmental and Community Impacts of Spheres
Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass today announced legislation to create a formal, transparent review process for Sphere entertainment center applications in the county. The proposal responds to growing concerns about the environmental and community impacts of large-scale, globular, LED-covered music and sports venues.
“Spheres affect energy use, infrastructure, and the environment, and decisions about them should not be rushed,” Glass said. “This legislation will ensure Montgomery County has a clear, thoughtful framework that protects residents and our natural resources while supporting immersive entertainment innovation.”
Artist rendering of a proposed Sphere in downtown Rockville. Plans are on hold while the County debates zoning and environmental regulations.
Bill 67-26 would establish a temporary task force charged with reviewing siting, environmental, and emergency-response considerations, as well as refining the definitions of “sphere,” “round,” and “cylindrical.” The task force will include 14 subcommittees, including the Committee on Geometric Equity and the Office of Non-Euclidean Zoning. The task force must issue recommendations within 10 years.
Glass sharply criticized Prince George's County for “rushing headlong into the Sphere sphere” instead of studying Sphere impacts regionally over the course of “several contemplative years or decades.”
According to officials from Las Vegas-based Sphere Entertainment Group, LLC, the company abandoned plans for a Montgomery County Sphere after feasibility studies determined county leadership is perpetually square.
