Since the Sphere at The Venetian Resort was announced in 2018, Las Vegas residents and visitors have been waiting to see if the $2.3 billion entertainment venue can live up to the massive hype.

The 18,600-seat orb features an exterior covered in 580,000 square feet of programmable LED lighting which allows the building to take the form of, well, whatever its programmers desire.

On the 4th of July, the building was lit up for the first time and to say it was mission accomplished feels like an understatement. Even in a city that goes as over-the-top with its performances as Las Vegas, the Sphere upped the ante with a preview of its capabilities before it officially opens in September 2023.

Just look at these mind-blowing images.

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(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

The MSG Sphere illuminates the Las Vegas skyline with a display to celebrate Independence Day as the Exosphere is fully lit up for the first time on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (James Schaeffer/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

The MSG Sphere illuminates the Las Vegas skyline with a display to celebrate Independence Day as the Exosphere is fully lit up for the first time, as seen from the Metropolis, on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images) ORG XMIT:

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

The new MSG Sphere in Vegas was lit up to promote NBA Summer League 🔥

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) July 5, 2023

Imagine you’re driving down the street trying to get to the Flamingo and you see this pic.twitter.com/qkrVwQEjQt

— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) July 5, 2023

Happy Fourth of July from the top of#WynnLasVegas! 🇺🇸 Welcome to the neighborhood, @SphereVegas. 🥂 pic.twitter.com/eBsXVwJWVp

— Wynn Las Vegas (@WynnLasVegas) July 5, 2023