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(NewsNation) — Country superstar Zac Brown wasn’t kidding when he said he was “going into debt” in order to play the Sphere in Las Vegas this December.

Brown, who sells out stadiums across the country, told Us Weekly, “Just going into debt to make it happen… It’s a big moment in time and it’s like, for us, I want to be among the names of the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones and the bands that take that lifelong career impact fan journey to be able to do that. This is our statement to try to step into that.”

And I’m told the debt is in the millions.

My Las Vegas insider said, “Zac is fronting between $6 million – $8 million to perform there — the Sphere doesn’t chip in a lot except for certain bands, but this is ridiculous.”

Zac Brown likely to recoup costs

The good news is, Brown is expected to add more shows and will likely recoup the money and make between $1-2 million due to demand, my source said, but added, “It’s still ridiculous. This is the Zac Brown Band. The Sphere paid U2 $15 million for their show and are in negotiations with No Doubt, where (frontwoman) Gwen Stefani is asking for a $1 million per show guarantee. No Doubt! Please. It’s not 2002.” 

“It’s a diss on major country music artists. Kenny Chesney played this spring and he also didn’t get a lot of monetary support.”

Brown so far has five shows listed for the Sphere, with demand so high that tickets are hovering around $2,000 for “good” seats, and standing room is starting at $397. 

When reached by NewsNation, a spokesperson for the Sphere said, “No comment.”