- Gautam Ranji, chief financial officer of Las Vegas entertainment venue Sphere, resigned on Oct. 30 after just 11 months in the position
- Ranji was reportedly “yelled at and yelled at” by James Dolan, the businessman who owns Sphere as well as a number of New York City venues and the Knicks.
- Neither Dolan nor Ranji have commented: Dolan’s company said “his departure from the company was not the result of a disagreement” with management
The chief financial officer of Las Vegas entertainment venue Sphere abruptly resigned last month after the company’s notoriously volatile owner “yelled and yelled” at him during a meeting.
Gautam Ranji was insulted on October 30 by James Dolan, whose companies include Madison Square Garden and the NBA team New York Knicks.
Dolan was “yelling and screaming” at Ranji, sources told the New York Post.
In the middle of the meeting, Ranji “calmly” left the room and announced this to the company’s legal counsel.
“Gautam is very calm and can usually take it well,” a source told the newspaper.
However, Dolan, 68, is “absolutely awesome,” the source added.
“He treats everyone like a nail.”
James Dolan (left), the billionaire owner of Madison Square Garden and Sphere in Las Vegas, is said to have “yelled and yelled” at Sphere CFO Gautam Ranji (right). Ranji resigned on October 30th
Tourists are seen in front of Sphere on September 29th
Sphere cost $2.3 billion to build and enchants Las Vegas
The source said the timing of Ranji’s departure, a few days before the quarterly earnings presentation scheduled for November 8, was notable.
“They did a great job of keeping the news quiet,” the source said. “A CFO who quits less than a week before earnings is a rarity.”
A Sphere spokesperson, asked by to comment on Ranji’s departure, referred to a statement in the company’s Nov. 3 securities filings.
“It is clear from the publicly filed 8K that his departure from the company was not due to any disagreement with the company’s auditors or any member of management,” the spokesperson said.
Neither Dolan nor Ranji have commented.
Dolan has taken on a hands-on role leading Sphere since Lucas Watson, president of MSG Sphere, left the company in February after 13 months in the role.
Sphere, which cost $2.3 billion, $1 billion over budget, opened Sept. 29. U2 headlined a series of spectacular shows, featuring guest stars such as Lady Gaga.
Dolan can be seen at a New York Knicks game in 2019
Dolan can be seen at the opening of Sphere on September 29th
Bono and Lady Gaga perform at the Sphere on October 25th
U2 can be seen on stage in the middle of the Sphere – a venue that has already wowed audiences in its first month in action
The sphere is the idea of Dolan, who sketched the first drawing of the venue on notebook paper.
The massive spherical venue, 366 feet tall, lights up the Las Vegas skyline.
Inside the 516-foot-wide sphere, a high-resolution LED screen half encloses the 17,500-capacity audience.
The venue is equipped with thousands of speakers, providing a “crystal clear” and multi-layered experience.
“I think the Sphere may have come about because Jim Dolan was trying to solve the problem that the Beatles started when they played Shea Stadium,” Bono said on opening night.
“No one could hear you. You couldn’t hear yourself. Well, the bullet is here. Can you hear us?’