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US company Madison Square Garden Entertainment has withdrawn its proposal for the Populous-designed MSG Sphere London, slamming the planning process as “a political football between rival parties”.
In a letter to the Planning Inspectorate, Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG) said it could no longer participate in developing the music venue for a site in Stratford near the Olympic Park in east London.
“I write to confirm that we are officially withdrawing our application from the Planning Inspectorate process,” the letter read, reported the BBC.
“After spending millions of pounds acquiring our site in Stratford and collaboratively engaging in a five-year planning process with numerous governmental bodies, including the local planning authority who approved our plans following careful review, we cannot continue to participate in a process that is merely a political football between rival parties.”
Its withdrawal follows London mayor Sadiq Khan’s rejection of the proposal in October over fears that the illuminated sphere would cause “unacceptable harm to hundreds of residents”.
This was in light of a report by engineering firm WSP, commissioned by the Greater London Authority (GLA), which “identified significant errors and omissions” in the plans for the venue.
In response, the UK’s levelling up secretary Michael Gove instructed the London Legacy Development Corporation – the planning authority for the Olympic Park and its vicinity – in November of last year not to deny planning permission until he has reviewed the application.
MSG turning focus to “forward-thinking cities”
However, MSG’s sister company Sphere Entertainment told Dezeen it was pessimistic about the outcome and would be turning its focus to “forward-thinking cities” instead.
“The entire five-year planning process was hijacked by the mayor and his bogus last-minute report,” said Sphere Entertainment’s spokesperson at the time.
“Londoners should be dismayed that they are not going to benefit from this groundbreaking project, and others looking to invest in London should certainly be wary,” the spokesperson continued.
“Moreso, everyone should be alarmed by how easily the government’s established process was tossed aside by one politically motivated official.”
The MSG Sphere London was first proposed for a site near the Olympic Park in Stratford in 2018. If built, it would have been 120 metres wide and 90 metres tall, with its exterior covered in illuminated screens.
Hanam could host next MSG Sphere
It would have been the second MSG Sphere to be built, following the MSG Sphere Las Vegas that opened last year with artworks by Es Devlin and John Gerrard. Both venues have been designed by the international studio Populous.
Plans for the MSG Sphere London have been controversial since its inception. In 2022, it won planning permission after the London Legacy Development Corporation’s planning committee voted six to four in favour of the proposal, despite 852 objections submitted in opposition to the project. In total, 355 responses were received supporting the proposal.
MSG is now reportedly planning to build a 120-metre-high spherical music venue that would host performances by K-pop artists in Hanam, South Korea.
According to the newspaper The Korea Economic Daily, the city is planning to open a 900,000 square-metre K-Star World that could include the spherical music venue.
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