Published on: January 24, 2026, 04:13h.
Last modified on: January 24, 2026, 04:13h.
- The San Francisco Centre shopping mall will permanently close on Monday.
- A survey reveals that some locals are interested in converting the site into a casino or a Sphere.
- The majority prefer transforming it into an entertainment hub or residential units.
The San Francisco Centre, once the largest shopping destination in the city, is set to close its doors for good on Monday. Local residents are already sharing their visions for the future of the site. Surprisingly, some have expressed interest in a casino or a new version of the Las Vegas Sphere.
A recent survey conducted by The San Francisco Chronicle reveals that 40% of respondents advocate for converting the closed shopping center into an entertainment venue, while 30% favor housing solutions, reflecting the city’s pressing housing demand.
Some participants believe housing should take precedence, while others suggest repurposing the space for a new campus for San Francisco State University. Interestingly, the idea of utilizing the site for pickleball courts ranked the lowest in popularity, according to the newspaper.
The closure of the San Francisco Centre can be attributed to years of decreasing foot traffic, leading to the exit of several key tenants.
A San Francisco Sphere?
Sphere Entertainment, the company behind the Las Vegas Sphere, is in a phase of growth. They recently announced plans for a “mini Sphere” near MGM National Harbor in Maryland, and in 2024, they presented a proposal for a similar structure in Abu Dhabi.
The combined population of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland exceeds 2.2 million, highlighting the potential for another Sphere in the Bay Area. However, Sphere Entertainment has not publicly indicated that San Francisco is on their agenda, nor have city officials expressed support for this idea.
There are additional factors that could thwart the possibility of a Sphere in San Francisco. Some cities have resisted such expansion due to concerns related to noise and lighting.
Moreover, San Francisco is known for its challenging approval processes for new constructions, which might complicate prospects for a Sphere.
San Francisco Casino: An Enticing Idea?
The prospect of a casino in San Francisco seems appealing from a revenue standpoint. Venues like Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbor and MGM Resorts International’s National Harbor, which are located near major urban areas, rank among the highest-grossing regional casinos in the United States.
However, the challenge lies in gaining the support of city officials and residents for such an initiative. Historically, San Francisco has not been recognized as a gaming hotspot, although there was some momentum in the late 1980s to develop a casino on Alcatraz Island. That concept ultimately fizzled due to objections from the National Parks Service, which deemed it inappropriate to have a casino on federally managed land.
Any gaming expansion in California must align with the interests of tribal casino operators, implying that should a casino emerge in San Francisco, it would likely be under their control.