How Rigging Crews Made the MSG Sphere a Reality

The MSG Sphere in Las Vegas isn’t just another entertainment venue—it’s a groundbreaking marvel of engineering and design. Standing 366 feet tall and spanning 516 feet in diameter, it’s the largest spherical structure ever built. But turning this ambitious vision into a reality required exceptional rigging expertise and the use of cutting-edge equipment. Here’s an inside look at how rigging crews overcame challenges to construct the MSG Sphere.

Outfitting the DEMAG CC-8800 for Massive Lifts

One of the stars of the MSG Sphere’s construction was the DEMAG CC-8800, the world’s fourth-largest crawler crane. This behemoth was essential for lifting and placing the heaviest structural elements, including the 240-ton steel girders and the 170-ton compression ring. To prepare the crane for its role, crews used:

• Wire Rope Slings: High-strength slings capable of handling loads exceeding 1,700 tons ensured secure lifts of large components like the compression ring and girders.
• Spreader Bars: These bars evenly distributed weight during lifts, minimizing stress on both the load and the crane.
• Counterweights: The crane was equipped with 850 tons of counterweights, providing the stability needed to handle heavy loads safely.
• Rigging Shackles: Industrial-grade shackles connected the wire rope slings to the crane hooks, ensuring secure attachments.
• Taglines: Long ropes allowed ground crews to control the load’s orientation during hoisting, preventing swaying and ensuring precision placement.

The DEMAG CC-8800 crane itself was an engineering feat to transport and assemble. The crane was transported from Belgium to Las Vegas by cargo ship, departing from the port in Zeebrugge, and arrived at Port Hueneme, California. From there, it was delivered to the MSG Sphere construction site by 120 tractor-trailers. Once onsite, the crane was assembled over the course of 18 days. At 580 feet tall and weighing almost 870 tons, the DEMAG CC-8800 was instrumental in installing the steel dome roof and the exosphere of the MSG Sphere (ENR Article).

"This specialty crane allows us to execute the complexities that come with building the largest spherical structure in the world, safely performing lifts that require an incredible amount of expertise and precision," said Nick Tomasino, vice president of construction for the Madison Square Garden Co. [source]

The DEMAG CC-8800 was tasked with lifting two 240-ton steel girders, and those girders ultimately help support the 13,000-ton, steel-domed roof [source]. These girders, critical for supporting the venue’s massive stage, required a meticulous rigging setup to ensure safe and accurate placement. The crane's rotation capabilities and heavy lifting power were instrumental in maneuvering these immense components into position.

In addition to the girders, the crane lifted the 170-ton compression ring to a height of nearly 300 feet, setting it atop a steel shoring tower with pinpoint accuracy. This was a major milestone in the project and showcased the crane’s incredible capacity. [source]

Tackling the Sphere’s Interior Challenges

Inside the MSG Sphere, crews faced an equally daunting set of challenges. The interior features a 160,000-square-foot LED display—the highest resolution screen in the world—as well as a 13,000-ton steel dome roof. Installing these components required specialized rigging solutions:

• Chain Hoists and Winches: Crews used motorized hoists and winches to lift and position smaller components with precision.
• Temporary Suspension Systems: High-strength steel cables and turnbuckles stabilized partially assembled sections of the dome, allowing crews to align them accurately before welding or bolting.
• Boom Lifts and Scaffolding: These tools provided access to hard-to-reach areas, enabling workers to install LED panels and other intricate components safely.
• Custom Brackets: For the LED panels, specialized rigging brackets ensured secure placement and alignment on the curved surface source.

Weight Management and Safety Measures

Given the scale of the MSG Sphere, managing the weight of its components was a critical aspect of the construction process:

• Compression Ring: Weighing 170 tons, this was one of the heaviest single components lifted. The rigging system’s working load limit had to exceed this weight significantly to ensure safety.
• Steel Girders: At 240 tons each, these girders required precise handling to support the venue’s stage and ensure structural integrity.
• Steel Dome Roof: Weighing 13,000 tons in total, the roof’s assembly and stabilization required meticulous planning and the use of load-monitoring systems.
• Exosphere Panels: The outer shell’s 1.2 million LED pucks were lightweight but required precision rigging to align with the Sphere’s framework [source].

Engineering Precision Meets Rigging Expertise

The MSG Sphere’s design is a geodesic grid—a series of equally spaced latitudes with diagonals that are truncated as they approach the top. This efficient design minimized material usage but added complexity to the rigging process [source]. To adapt, crews relied on:

• Load Monitoring Systems: Sensors on cranes and winches ensured that no lifts exceeded the rigging’s working load limits.
• Anti-Sway Technology: Used on cranes to stabilize loads against wind and motion, this technology was crucial for high-altitude lifts.
• Pre-Fabrication: Many structural components were pre-assembled on the ground, reducing the risk of misalignment during installation. [source]

Designing the Future of Entertainment

From its innovative design to the cutting-edge rigging techniques used in its construction, the MSG Sphere shows us what’s possible when engineering and expertise come together. "It should be no surprise [to engineers] that a geodesic sphere is a very efficient structure," said Steve Reichwein in an Informed Infrastructure article explaining the Sphere's efficient design approach. "It’s the most efficient shape as far as we’re concerned in our perceivable notion of the universe" [source].

With its completion, the MSG Sphere sets a new standard for architectural ambition and showcases the indispensable role of rigging in bringing visionary projects to life.