The creators of the Las Vegas Sphere, a massive interactive venue that cost around $2.3 billion to build, are now planning to open smaller, more affordable versions of the Sphere, dubbed mini-Spheres. According to James Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment, these mini-Spheres would have a capacity of around 5,000 people, significantly smaller than the original Las Vegas Sphere, which can seat 17,600 people and accommodate up to 20,000 with standing capacity.

The original Las Vegas Sphere, which opened with a price tag of $1.2 billion, eventually cost Sphere Entertainment around $2.3 billion to build. The company is now looking to scale down the venue, making it more affordable to build and operate. The mini-Spheres would require less property and parking, reducing construction costs and potentially attracting a wider range of artists.

One of the major hurdles for performers at the Las Vegas Sphere is the hefty investment required to design and produce custom video content for the venue's 160,000-square-foot LED screen. This has limited the venue to hosting established bands like the Eagles, Phish, and U2, who have the budget to create unique visuals for their shows. The mini-Spheres, with their smaller capacity and reduced costs, could potentially attract a more diverse range of artists.

The mini-Spheres would still feature giant wraparound screens and provide immersive experiences similar to the original venue. During U2's 40-show residency at the Sphere, the band recorded one of its performances and created an immersive concert film that's cheaper for fans than seeing the band live. Similar concert films could be screened at the mini-Spheres, providing more opportunities to recoup the cost of live performances or be created as an alternative to artists performing live.

There is currently no information on where or when the mini-Spheres would be built. This news follows an announcement from Sphere Entertainment last October that it plans to build a second full-sized Sphere in Abu Dhabi. The company's expansion plans could potentially bring immersive entertainment experiences to a wider audience, making the mini-Spheres an exciting development in the world of tech and entertainment.

The shift towards smaller, more affordable venues could also have implications for the music and entertainment industries as a whole. With the ability to attract a wider range of artists and provide more opportunities for concert films and immersive experiences, the mini-Spheres could potentially disrupt the traditional live music and entertainment landscape.

As Sphere Entertainment continues to expand and innovate, it will be interesting to see how the mini-Spheres develop and what impact they will have on the entertainment industry. With the company's focus on creating immersive experiences and making them more accessible to a wider audience, the future of live entertainment looks bright.