New York City music fans may have a new favorite outlet to experience live music come 2016.
The entertainment company that hosts the massive music and arts festival Coachella is scoping out the “World’s Borough” for a possible music festival next summer, according to the Daily News.
AEG Live is allegedly discussing the possibility with city officials, and if it becomes a reality, Flushing Meadows Corona Park will be home to the Panorama festival next June. The concert promoter has reportedly started recruiting acts and is looking to host the festival two weeks after Governor’s Ball, the only major music festival hosted in New York City.
The event would be one of the biggest in Queens since the 1946 World’s Fair, which 51 million people attended. Coachella is held in Indio, Calif., for two consecutive weekends in April and last year attracted about 200,000 music fans. Past acts include Drake, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, The Black Keys, Amy Winehouse, Jay-Z and the Beastie Boys.
A spokesperson for Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said representatives from AEG Live have not contacted her about possibly hosting the event, but she welcomes a discussion.
“Queens is increasingly becoming a premier destination for entertainment, culture and tourism,” Katz said. “While we encourage public events of any scale that enhance our borough, this proposal appears to raise significant concerns, especially the precedent it would potentially set. If the application is granted, this would be the first time ever for Queens to lend its treasured public parkland to a for-profit company for a charged-admission event.”
AEG Live has not yet responded to The Courier’s request for comment.
