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Brooklyn DIY Venue Shea Stadium Will Shut Down Its Current Location

A mega-successful Kickstarter couldn’t save the legendary venue.

April 20, 2017

Shea Stadium, an integral venue in New York's DIY scene, is being forced to close its current location. The venue, which has hosted acts like Blood Orange, Mitski, and PWR BTTM, announced on Wednesday that their landlords are refusing to move forward with the venue's renovation.

"Last week, we were set to file our first paperwork with the city when our landlord, who had supported our cause since day one, revealed he was no longer on board with our plans. Without his signature, it’s impossible for us to move forward with our mission to bring Shea back," read a statement posted to the venue's Facebook page.

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According to the venue, their landlord has plans to open a nightclub on the bottom floor, and that Shea Stadium will no longer be allowed to inhabit the second.

This announcement arrives after the venue has raised almost $100,000 via Kickstarter to bring the space up to code after undergoing a series of fines from New York City. The original goal of the crowdfunding campaign was $50,000, which was reached quickly by fans of the East Williamsburg space.

However, the venue remains optimistic about its future. The owners are hoping to use the money from the Kickstarter to help re-open Shea Stadium at a new venue.

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"The work and costs involved with moving to a new location hang on a much larger scale than our previous goals," the Facebook post read, "and while we're cautiously optimistic about our future in another location, we’re faced with a whole new degree of uncertainty."

You can read the venue's full statement on Facebook.

Posted: April 20, 2017