After briefly re-opening last month, celebrated New York City all-ages venue and recording facility Shea Stadium has hit another roadblock, and today announced it was “temporarily [closing] our doors once again.”
The announcement was made on the Brooklyn venue’s Facebook page.
“After increasing pressure from the local authorities it’s no longer sustainable for us to continue to operate the way we have over the past 8 years,” the venue’s operators write. “Though steps are being taken to acquire the necessary permits to secure both the short and long term future of Shea, it’s become increasingly clear that we won’t be able to keep having shows in the meantime. Continuing to stack up the inevitable, and frankly expensive, fines while having to navigate the vast bureaucracy of NYC is no longer feasible for us. We don’t take this decision lightly, as we realize it affects the lives and plans of the thousands of people that both play and attend our shows.”
There is hope that Shea, one of the central points of New York City’s underground and DIY music scenes, can re-open, though with it under the watchful eye of the city, attempts may be more difficult than in the past.
“We hope to reopen as soon as possible to can continue being the space that you all helped build with us,” they add. “There will be more info in the days to come on when that will be and how you can help us even further on reaching back to the top of that mountain. In the meantime, please watch this space for updates on our progress and for any info regarding to status of our rescheduled shows. We’ve been truly overwhelmed by your kind responses in this tough time — words cannot describe how much we appreciate your support: now, always & forever. Eternal thanks & <3.”
Shea Stadium opening in 2009, and has been a destination for countless New England bands touring through the NYC area, providing an all-inclusive alternative to the city’s other venues. Stay tuned.
Featured photo via Shea co-founder Zach Staggers/Instagram, from the venue’s re-opening last month. Watch Rainer Maria perform live at Shea back in 2015.