Sphere gets the OK to emit loud noises. Neighbors aren’t happy

The Paradise Town Advisory Board voted to allow the Sphere to exceed Clark County noise limitations in a meeting Tuesday night after executives changed their terms in what residents called an unexpected move.

In a 3-1 vote, the board allowed the Sphere, which sits on The Venetian’s property, to emit loud noise until midnight on 18 occasions throughout the year despite an uproar from residents of Park Towers, a high-rise apartment complex nearby.

The issue is expected to be heard in front of the Clark County Planning Commission on September 4. The town advisory board functions in an advisory capacity to the county commission, which will have the final say.

The terms were concessions made in front of the board after the public comment period had closed, meaning that residents “weren’t able to refute the lies that they were telling,” said Mike Watson, a resident of Park Towers.

On July 3 and 4, a “test” was conducted at the Sphere which sent out sound waves that rattled windows and spirits in the apartment complex.

‘Ambushed’

“They ambushed us,” said James Kay, a resident of the property. At first, residents couldn’t tell where the loud noise was coming from. But soon, eyes and ears turned towards the Sphere, Kay explained.

Representatives for Sphere Entertainment Co. said that this test was a mistake and occurred at a decibel level higher than the one approved by the board.

Originally, the waiver of development standards submitted by the company to the board did not include any decibel limit or explanation of how many times the Sphere’s noise output would exceed normal acceptable levels.

“Honestly, there’s got to be some sort of limit,” said Angelo Carvalho, board member. “You have to give us numbers, not just throw something up in the air.”

Board member Katlyn Cunningham also called for a top limit on the noise levels, which was not originally present in the waiver.

“That means you could make a jet engine, and I’m not going to go for that,” said Cunningham, who has a degree in entertainment engineering and design.

Concessions

The objections from the board prompted Richard Constable, executive vice president for Madison Square Entertainment Corp., the venue’s owner, to stand up and list concessions that the company was willing to make.

These included a cap on noise at 87 decibels, a limit of 18 days a year when the noise could occur and a hard stop on the noise at midnight, with the exception of New Year’s Eve.

However, Watson said that residents had been in the process of negotiating these terms, having gotten executives to consider blasting the sound fewer than 18 nights, and only until 11 p.m.

The surprise negotiations at the end of the public comment period meant residents couldn’t tell the board about these negotiations, Watson explained.

Board chair Susan Philipp was the only dissenting vote. She told executives that her 20 years of experience on the board meant that Tuesday’s meeting wasn’t her first rodeo.

Philipp recounted that executives had previously stood in front of the board and said that the Sphere’s visuals would not include advertisements. “Guess what I have been seeing,” she said.

“You misled this board when we first approved the project,” Philipp continued. “Can I trust you now?”

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com.