America is going to get a second Sphere, and it’s coming to the Washington D.C. metro area.

Sphere Entertainment, the company behind the Las Vegas landmark, says that it has inked a deal with the state of Maryland, Prince George’s County, and Peterson Companies to develop and build a second Sphere venue at National Harbor, a major tourism destination in the area.

Notably, Sphere says the plan is to create what it is calling its first “smaller-scale” design, with plans for a 6,000 seat venue, compared to the 18,600 seats at the Las Vegas Sphere. The project will be financed with public and private funding, including approximately $200 million in state, local, and private incentives.

While it will be smaller than the original Sphere in Las Vegas, the company says it will still have the distinct “Exosphere” that defines the exterior of the original, while the interior theater will have what it says will be “the world’s highest-resolution LED screen.”

A rendering released by the company showed the Sphere close to the Potomac near the existing MGM Grand.

“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” said James Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment. “Sphere is a new experiential medium. With a commitment to bringing innovative opportunities to residents and visitors, Governor Moore, County Executive Braveboy, the State of Maryland, and Prince George’s County recognize the potential for a Sphere at National Harbor to elevate and advance immersive experiences across the area.”

“Maryland has a long history of providing world-class entertainment and we could not be more excited to work with Sphere Entertainment to bring this cutting-edge project to life,” added Governor Wes Moore. “This will be one of the largest economic development projects in Prince George’s County history – proving once again our state is the best place in the country to bring dreams to life. We’re excited for what this means for our people, and how it will showcase the best of what Maryland has to offer to everyone who visits.”

Sphere has become a major tourist attraction in Las Vegas, a city with no shortage of them. While the venue is best known for its concerts and residencies, it also has daily programming, most notably a remastered version of The Wizard of Oz, and the original documentary film Postcard From Earth. It’s safe to assume that the Maryland Sphere will follow the same strategy, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.

National Harbor is home to The Capital Wheel, a giant ferris wheel with views of D.C., as well as an MGM Grand casino and other tourist attractions.

The National Harbor Sphere is the third planned version of the venue, after the Las Vegas original and another under construction in Abu Dhabi.

The army placed the units on prepare-to-deploy orders in case violence in the northern state escalates, the Washington Post reported, citing unnamed defense officials, adding that it is not clear whether any of them will be sent.

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The White House told the Post in a statement that it is typical for the Pentagon “to be prepared for any decision the President may or may not make.” The Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests from Reuters for comment.

THREAT OF TROOPS FOLLOWS SURGE OF IMMIGRATION AGENTS

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

The soldiers subject to deployment specialize in cold-weather operations and are assigned to two U.S. Army infantry battalions under the 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska, the Post and ABC News reported.

Trump, a Republican, has sent nearly 3,000 federal agents from ICE and Border Patrol to Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul since early last week, as part of a wave of interventions, mostly to cities run by Democratic politicians.

Local leaders have accused the president of federal overreach and of exaggerating isolated episodes of violence to justify sending in troops.

The Insurrection Act is a federal law that gives the president the power to deploy the military or federalize National Guard troops inside the U.S. to quell domestic uprisings.

The law can be invoked when there are “unlawful obstructions, combinations or assemblages or rebellion” against federal authority. If the president deems those conditions have been met, he may use the armed forces to take actions “to enforce those laws or suppress the rebellion.

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