Prince George's County Fast-Tracks National Harbor Sphere, Eyes 2027 Construction Start

Prince George's County officials moved Wednesday to accelerate the proposed Sphere entertainment venue at National Harbor, announcing a target to begin construction as soon as late 2027 in what would rank among the largest economic development projects in the county's history.

The project involves Sphere Entertainment Co., the State of Maryland, and Peterson Companies, the developer behind National Harbor itself. First formally announced in January 2026, the plan envisions a smaller-scale Sphere model with roughly 6,000 seats positioned just north of MGM National Harbor, integrated into the existing waterfront entertainment and hospitality district.

The financing structure under discussion includes a bundle of state, local, and private incentives approaching $200 million. A critical piece of that package is HB1247, a bill before the Maryland General Assembly that would authorize $130 million in tax-increment financing bonds. County Executive Aisha Braveboy publicly backed the project and indicated her office is coordinating with state lawmakers to move that legislation forward.

To hit a 2027 groundbreaking, county planners and the private development team said they aim to complete entitlement and permitting by the end of 2026, compressing a process that typically unfolds over several years.

That accelerated pace drew scrutiny from critics and community advocates, who raised questions about the scale of public subsidies, traffic and parking impacts at National Harbor, and whether community benefit agreements and local workforce hiring plans would be in place before ground is broken.

Proponents have argued the venue could generate substantial visitor spending and job creation both during construction and once operational, with economic spillovers for nearby hotels and restaurants across the National Harbor district.

Whether the timeline holds will depend on state approval of the financing bill and how county officials balance expedited planning with required environmental and traffic review. If both conditions fall into place, the Sphere would become the most significant transformation of the National Harbor waterfront since the MGM casino opened in 2016.