Prince George's County Gives Final Go-Ahead to National Harbor Sphere
An 8-0 vote on the session's last day unlocks the money
The Prince George's County Council voted 8-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to authorize up to $215 million in special obligation bonds for the proposed Sphere entertainment venue at National Harbor. The vote fell on the final day of the council's legislative session, with three of the 11 members absent. It commits the county to the public-financing share of the roughly $1.4 billion, 6,000-seat venue and surrounding complex, with Sphere Entertainment Co. gradually repaying the bonds out of venue-generated tax revenue.
A smaller sibling of Las Vegas, next to MGM
The official pitch: $63 million a year, triple Six Flags and the stadium
County Executive Aisha Braveboy, the project's leading champion, framed the vote as a turning point. She said the county was entering the global stage and redefining itself as a destination for investment, entertainment, technology and innovation. Her headline numbers: a $1.3 billion economic impact for the county and $1.5 billion for Maryland, plus about $63 million a year in property, sales and amusement taxes. She has repeatedly argued that is more than triple the combined tax revenue from the defunct Six Flags amusement park in Bowie, which closed last year, and Northwest Stadium in Landover, which the Washington Commanders plan to abandon for a return to Washington, D.C. in 2030. Braveboy had earlier said the venue could draw 2 million annual visitors and bring $67 million in yearly tax revenue.
Where the public money goes: bonds, a garage and state aid
Jobs pledges come with local-hiring strings
What happens next: break-even math and traffic
Approval does not end scrutiny. County staff have flagged uncertainty over when the government breaks even, citing risks from lower-than-projected revenue, construction delays and cost overruns. Kasia Tarczynska of Good Jobs First argued the projections show benefits without fully accounting for the costs of public support. Nearby residents cite congestion around National Harbor and the arterial routes to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Definitive agreements and remaining approvals still lie ahead before heavy construction begins.
