Lunger in new role at Las Vegas Sphere

Article posted by Coliseum, January 18^th, 2024

Image: The Sphere, Cory Doctorow, CC BY-SA 2.0

Sphere Entertainment Co. has appointed Ed Lunger to the role of Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Las Vegas Sphere.

Billboard said that after previously serving as Sphere’s Vice President and Assistant General Manager, Back of House Operations, Lunger, who has 30 years of experience, will now take on a slate of new responsibilities.

He will oversee a wide range of functions as part of the overall management of the venue, including building operations, event production, technical operations, guest services, food and beverage, merchandise operations, and ticket operations.

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He will also work cross-functionally across the Sphere organization to develop, execute, and support strategic plans aligned with Sphere’s overall business objectives. Lunger is based in Las Vegas.

The 18,600-capacity Sphere at the Venetian Resort, commonly referred to as the Sphere and previously as the MSG Sphere, is a spherical music and entertainment arena in Paradise, Nevada, United States, near the Las Vegas Strip and East of the Venetian Resort.

Rich Claffey, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Sphere, said, “I am pleased that Ed has taken on a new leadership role with Sphere. Since its opening, Sphere has been delivering a first-of-its-kind experience to guests. With his deep expertise in venue management and operations, including at other venues in the MSG Family of Companies, Ed will ensure that Sphere is well positioned to continue building on our world-class experience.”

Lunger added, “Being part of the Sphere team opening this next-generation venue has been an honor, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to now lead our venue operations team in this new role.

“Sphere is setting a new standard for the in-venue guest experience, and I look forward to working with my colleagues across the organization as we continue to deliver unforgettable moments for our guests right here in Las Vegas.”

Lunger has been a key member of the Sphere venue leadership team since 2020. Prior to that, he spent seven years on the venue operations team at the Forum Arena in Inglewood, California, which was part of the MSG Family of Companies until its sale in May 2020.

Lunger’s prior experience also includes various venue operations and engineering roles of increasing responsibility at Madison Square Garden in New York, which he first joined in 1989 as an HVAC and mechanical equipment engineer. He is a graduate of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30 Apprentice Training Program.

Billboard further stated that Sphere opened to much fanfare in September with a residency from U2.

In December, Billboard Boxscore reported that the band’s 17-show run at Sphere generated nearly $110 million in ticket sales; a Securities and Exchange Commission filing from Dec. 5 notes that those shows generated a total of $30.7 million in revenue for Sphere Entertainment through Nov. 30. Meanwhile, Sphere Entertainment’s own content offering, Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth, generated approximately $44.5 million in total revenue from ticket sales from 111 showings.

U2‘s residency has been extended multiple times, with the final shows slated for March. Phish will play its own four-show Sphere residency this April.

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