Other Times People Illegally Climbed Las Vegas Buildings

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested a man after he climbed the sphere

Jamie Squire / Staff via Getty Images

On Wednesday afternoon, a man who calls himself "pro-life Spiderman," climbed the Sphere in Las Vegas. But, this isn't the first time that someone attempted to climb an iconic building in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police subsequently arrested the man, whose name is actually Maison DesChampe. According to DesChampe's Instagram, he climbed the Sphere to help "a woman in a crisis pregnancy."

Do People Climb Las Vegas Skyscrapers A Lot?

The short answer: no. But, it's happened before. According to the book, "With Bare Hands: The True Story of Alain Robert, the Real-life Spiderman," another notable climber is Alain Robert. In 1996, he climbed the Luxor Hotel & Casino. Alain is the godfather of urban climbing, he's climbed structures like the Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101, The New York Times Building and so much more.

There isn't too much information available on his Luxor climb. But, it's been recorded that he climbed the famous pyramid hotel in Vegas during the '90s. His climbs and urban explorations break the barrier between what humans can and can't do. His work and explorations are widely regarded and are used as inspiration for many people.

Urban Climbers Strike At The Paris' Eiffel Tower In Las Vegas

In 2016, an urban climbing collective called "As Above So Below" climbed the Eiffel Tower replica at the Paris Las Vegas. The climbers posted the video on YouTube, which illustrates the journey behind the climb with one part of the video showing the climbers picking a lock and breaking into another section of the tower.

There wasn't any legal action taken on the climbers. But, it did raise concerns about security in Las Vegas, according to Channel 13.

Who Is Maison DesChampe: The Man Who Climbed The Sphere?

Maison DesChampe is a 24-year-old, anti-abortion activist who's also a Turning Point USA ambassador, which is a non-profit group that advocates for conservative politics on school campuses.

This Isn't His First Time Climbing, He's Climbed Other Las Vegas Skyscrapers

In 2021, DesChampe climbed the Aria to "protest mask mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic," the Washington Post reported. Police arrested him after scaling the Aria. Prosecutors ended up dropping the case, but he was originally charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and trespassing.

The Sphere In Las Vegas Dazzles The World

The long-awaited, and very expensive, MSG Sphere debuted in Las Vegas with a "dazzling display" for Independence Day.

Will those living near it ever get a good night's sleep again?

The Sphere stands 366 feet tall, 516 feet across, and its Exosphere (the name for its exterior display) features 580,000 square feet of fully-programmable LED lights. MSG Entertainment said it's the largest LED screen on earth, and the Sphere itself, according to them, is the largest spherical structure on the planet.

Tony Caporale told News 3, he lives in the Elysian at Hughes Center Apartments. He said, "I guess I'll put some good curtains up. We have blinds, but you're gonna need some curtains with the Sphere." He said he specifically moved into the apartments so he can face the Strip and Sphere.

He has a great view, and says the view it "pretty sick." But, he said he couldn't fathom how guests at the Encore could sleep with it. Regardless, he's excited.

"It's the most incredible thing ever built in the world," said Caporale. But when asked if the price tag of over $2 billion was worth it, he didn't care. "Who knows? That's their problem. I'll look at it every night."

Another resident who just moved into the same complex said he didn't actually look at his unit before moving in. He faces the Sphere. He had just seen a floor plan online. He says he's an early riser, but he's going to put blackout curtains in his bedroom. He says the bright lights might get old after a while. "but hey, one year lease isn't too bad."

Tick Segerblom is the Clark County Commissioner for District E, where the Sphere is being built. He said he hasn't received any specific complaints about the site as of yet, but wouldn't be surprised if he did. "This is Las Vegas," said Segerblom. "You want to live in the most exciting place in the world, you have to expect a little bit of excitement."

There is talk that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may use the Sphere as a navigation beacon for pilots because of its brightness. When reached for comment, the FAA said it does not have plans to do so, but it's not unusual for controllers to refer to easily identifiable buildings or landmarks when issuing instructions for visual flights.

There will also be plenty of hotel guests with views overlooking the Sphere at the Venetian, Palazzo, and other resorts. Front desks, get ready for a lot of "I want a view of the Sphere" calls. And hotels, get ready to order more black out curtains. It's going to be very bright, and very cool - for a few minutes.

Due to the high construction costs for the Sphere, expect the lights to run continuously, in order to generate millions of dollars in advertising revenue from the amazing ball.

One of the best live acts in the world, U2, will begin a ground-breaking residency in the fall. It will embrace the latest in technology and innovation that The Sphere has to offer.