Prince George’s Sphere advances with 2 funding bills
The Prince George’s County Council advanced two funding bills Tuesday for a Las Vegas-style Sphere entertainment venue at National Harbor.
One of the sticking points of negotiations has been whether the deal would include a project labor agreement (PLA), essentially a mandate for a minimum number of union jobs.
The County Council advanced the two funding bills for the Sphere without a specific recommendation, leaving time for more to negotiate a PLA.
“Our residents must get the jobs,” Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said. “Our local and minority businesses must get contracts. And our workers must have strong protections.”
The legislation advanced Tuesday ensures the project will be voted on this council year to avoid delays.
“But let me also say that I understand the importance of having labor protection,” Braveboy said.
“And we have included in our agreement a labor peace agreement so that the operational workforce has labor protections,” she said.
The Sphere Entertainment venue project proposal would require the county and state to bring $200 million in taxpayer money to the table.
The project would provide 2,500 jobs during the construction phase and more than 4,750 jobs once operational, according to Sphere Entertainment.
The billion-dollar venue would hold 6,000 people and would open within three to four years. The orb would offer 360-degree visuals and could serve as another concert venue.
