LAS VEGAS, NV (January 3, 2024) – Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE:
SPHR) announced today that Ed Lunger, a seasoned leader with more than
30 years of venue experience, has been promoted to Senior Vice President
and General Manager of Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium
that opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. Mr. Lunger previously served
as Vice President and Assistant General Manager, Back of House
Operations, for the groundbreaking new venue.
In his new role, Mr. Lunger oversees 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. He also works
cross-functionally across the Sphere organization to develop, execute,
and support strategic plans aligned with Sphere’s overall business
objectives. Mr. Lunger is based in Las Vegas.
“I am pleased that Ed has taken on a new leadership role with
Sphere,” said Rich Claffey, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operations Officer, 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.”
“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,” said Mr. Lunger. “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.”
Mr. Lunger has been a key member of the Sphere venue leadership team
since 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Lunger 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. Mr.
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.
_# # #_
About Sphere
Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the
future of live entertainment. A venue where the foremost artists,
creators, and technologists will create extraordinary experiences that
take storytelling to a new level and transport audiences to places both
real and imagined. The venue will host original Sphere Experiences from
leading Hollywood directors; concerts and residencies from the world’s
biggest artists; and premier marquee events. The first Sphere venue
opened in Las Vegas in September 2023, and is a new Las Vegas landmark,
powered by cutting-edge technologies that ignite the senses and enable
audiences to share experiences at a never-before-seen scale. More
information is available at thesphere.com [1].
About Sphere Entertainment
Sphere Entertainment Co. is a premier live entertainment and media
company. The Company includes Sphere, a next-generation entertainment
medium powered by cutting-edge technologies to redefine the future of
entertainment. The first Sphere venue opened in Las Vegas in September
2023. In addition, the Company includes MSG Networks, which operates two
regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network and MSG
Sportsnet, as well as a direct-to-consumer and authenticated streaming
product, MSG+, delivering a wide range of live sports content and other
programming. More information is available at sphereentertainmentco.com
[2].
