When the project first broke ground in 2018, the initial completion was slated for 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sphere Entertainment Co. was forced to adjust their timeline. The revisited timeline set completion to 2023, which was ultimately met, with the site open to the public in 2023.
The construction timeline was divided into two primary phases: the steel exosphere and subsequent installation of the interior and unique technological systems that makes the sphere what it is today.
The announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021 brought the project to a halt.To ensure the health and safety of their employees, Sphere Entertainment Co. was forced to adjust the construction timeline. In addition to health and safety challenges, the project also had to shift around construction phases due to limited availability of materials, which was a significant shift from pre-pandemic conditions.
While the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant and unavoidable challenges, Sphere Entertainment Co. made adjustments to the construction timeline, sourcing materials from different manufacturers and suppliers to keep the project on a steady track. These measures ultimately lead to the successful completion and use of the project. This best exemplifies the Scheduling and Resource Loading module we learned in class, and how the schedule of a project encompasses many moving parts, to include the availability of materials.
Unfortunately, a price tag exceeding $2 billion and extensive media and social media coverage do not guarantee a project's success. The MSG Sphere has experienced this firsthand, reporting "an operating income loss of $125.1 million"(Dailymail.com, 2024) between "June 30 and September 30"(Dailymail.com, 2024). This outcome is far from expectations and quite disappointing, especially given that "800,000 paying customers"(Dailymail.com, 2024) visited the Sphere during the last quarter.