Developer Withdraws Plans for Las Vegas-Style Sphere in East London

The US company behind a proposed huge Las Vegas-style Sphere entertainment venue in east London has withdrawn its plans.

According to Sky News, Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG) said it could not continue to participate in a process that was “merely a political football between rival parties”.

In a letter to the Planning Inspectorate, which confirmed the application was being withdrawn, added: "It is extremely disappointing that Londoners will not benefit from the Sphere’s groundbreaking technology and the thousands of well-paying jobs it would have created."

In December, the housing secretary, Michael Gove, used his powers to call in and review the rejection of planning permission by the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, for the 21,000-capacity, 300ft-tall structure in Stratford, east London.

Khan cited concerns about the amount of light pollution that the venue would cause for Stratford residents, its huge electricity bill, the lack of “green” credentials, and the impact it would have on heritage sites in the area.

The London Sphere would have been covered in LED panels and would have been almost 100m (300ft) high and 120m (360ft) wide. 

A similar venue in Las Vegas, which opened last year, has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and attracted artists including Kylie Minogue and Nile Rodgers.

A Sphere Entertainment spokesperson said: "We have informed Mr Gove that our decision not to move forward with our plans for Sphere in London stands, and we will not be participating in the call-in process.

"We would like to thank all of those who worked earnestly to bring this project to London. We are committed to continuing to work collaboratively with forward-thinking cities around the world who are serious about bringing this next-generation entertainment experience to their communities."