NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (7News) — Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Wednesday released a new economic analysis that claims that the planned Sphere National Harbor venue would generate billions in economic activity for the county and the state.

The 6,000-seat venue — the second Sphere in the United States — is projected to create $1.3 billion in economic impact for Prince George’s County once operational, according to the analysis by EY. Another $200 million in economic activity is expected elsewhere in Maryland, bringing the statewide total to $1.5 billion.

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Construction alone is expected to generate $1.6 billion in economic benefits for the county and an additional $250 million statewide, the report found.

To secure the project, state and county leaders have pledged $200 million in incentives, including $13.5 million in direct public expenditures, a package officials said was necessary to land the venue and keep it from going to another state.

“We knew immediately Sphere National Harbor was going to be transformational,” Braveboy said. “This new economic data has reconfirmed how amazing a win this is for the people of Prince George’s County and Maryland.”

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Moore called the project one of the largest economic investments in county history, saying it would create jobs, spur growth, and “showcase the very best of Maryland to the world.”

Sphere Entertainment Co. executives said they expect the venue to become a regional landmark. The project is being developed in partnership with Peterson Companies, the master developer of National Harbor.

The updated analysis shows higher job creation than initially projected. Construction is expected to support 3,350 jobs, including full and parttime positions tied to suppliers and consumer spending. Once open, the venue is projected to support 7,100 jobs in Prince George’s County — including 1,250 Sphere employees — and another 880 jobs elsewhere in Maryland, for a total of nearly 8,000 positions.

Officials said the project will strengthen National Harbor’s position as a major entertainment destination and deliver longterm economic benefits for the region.

Maryland leaders offered their condolences as they remembered civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson following his death. 

His family announced Tuesday that Jackson died at the age of 84.

In 2017, Jackson said he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In November 2025, he was hospitalized, and doctors said he was diagnosed with a degenerative condition. 

Jackson was known for his activism. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and ran for president in 1984 and 1988. 

The National Civil Rights Museum described him as a “global ambassador for justice, peace, and equality.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called Jackson a “giant of the civil rights movement and a champion for the dignity of working people.” 

“Of the many shoulders that we stand on, Jesse Jackson’s were amongst the broadest,” the governor said in a statement. “He led with love and reminded all of us of our voice and our power. Reverend Jackson was a trailblazer who never waited for permission or to ask for a seat at the table—he insisted on it, and he widened that table for generations to come.”

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks also mourned the loss, saying, “He marched with Dr. King in tireless pursuit of voting rights and civil rights for Black Americans. He ran for president and forever changed the face of electoral politics, giving a voice to the overlooked and unheard. He flew around the globe as a humanitarian, chasing injustice across oceans and borders.” 

“Rev. Jackson prepared generations to carry the torch forward. And at a time when our nation’s conscience doesn’t always speak as loudly as it should, and many of the fights that Rev. Jackson fought are still ongoing, his example shows us that the way to keep hope alive for enduring justice is through the work we’re willing to do for it,” she added. 

Sen. Chris Van Hollen praised Jackson as a leader who was ahead of his time. 

“We must carry on his legacy by continuing his work of creating a more perfect union,” Van Hollen said. 

“Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. leaves behind an indelible legacy, one built not just on what he said, but on what he did: He showed up, he spoke out, and he lifted others as he climbed,” the National Civil Rights Museum said.