The plan for London’s 21k-capacity MSG Sphere has been scrapped after Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected the proposals.

Despite it clearing multiple bureaucratic hurdles, Khan has now had the final say and ruled out the possibility of it going ahead. He said that the current proposals result in “an unacceptable negative impact on local residents.”

In response, an MSG spokesperson said they are “disappointed in London’s decision” and will be concentrating instead on “many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities.”

The proposed venue, which would have mirrored MSG’s $2.3b development in Las Vegas, has courted a wealth of resistance from residents and the local council over the last five years. This was mainly due to the impact its outside LED light display would have had on residents as well as rail and road users.

AEG, which owns London’s 20k-capacity O2 Arena and has objected the venue from the start, naturally welcomed the news.

“We do not oppose competition in the live entertainment industry, and specifically do not oppose another large music venue in London,” EVP of Real Estate & Development at AEG Europe Alistair Wood said. “However, this proposal had fundamental flaws from the beginning. It was the wrong design, in the wrong location, and this was the right call.”

The plan for London’s 21k-capacity MSG Sphere has been scrapped after Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected the proposals.

Despite it clearing multiple bureaucratic hurdles, Khan has now had the final say and ruled out the possibility of it going ahead. He said that the current proposals result in “an unacceptable negative impact on local residents.”

In response, an MSG spokesperson said they are “disappointed in London’s decision” and will be concentrating instead on “many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities.”

The proposed venue, which would have mirrored MSG’s $2.3b development in Las Vegas, has courted a wealth of resistance from residents and the local council over the last five years. This was mainly due to the impact its outside LED light display would have had on residents as well as rail and road users.

AEG, which owns London’s 20k-capacity O2 Arena and has objected the venue from the start, naturally welcomed the news.

“We do not oppose competition in the live entertainment industry, and specifically do not oppose another large music venue in London,” EVP of Real Estate & Development at AEG Europe Alistair Wood said. “However, this proposal had fundamental flaws from the beginning. It was the wrong design, in the wrong location, and this was the right call.”