Roseland Ballroom Officially Comments on Closure, Talks Redevelopment
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Photo: Global Graphica
Blockbuster news dropped last Friday that the Roseland Ballroom would close its doors for good at the end of April 2014. Today the historic venue and its booking company, Live Nation, respond to the flurry of media reports, officially breaking the silence with an email blast. As expected, there will be some “redevelopment” of the property come next spring.
Roseland noted in the press release:
The owners of 239 West 52nd Street have operated the Roseland Ballroom for over three decades. Managing Roseland has been a labor of love, which is why we have deferred major changes for all these years. Plans to redevelop the property are now underway and will be made public when they are finalized. Roseland will cease operations at the end of April 2014.
Live Nation had this to say:
We enjoyed being a part of the history of the Roseland Ballroom and we will continue to celebrate its rich history with an unparalleled closing run of shows. One of the best things about New York is how our city continues to reinvent itself and we look forward to sharing our tremendous plans for live entertainment in the city for 2014 and beyond.
The iconic 3,500-seat venue is owned by developer Larry Ginsberg, with booking duties handled by Live Nation. Before becoming a performance space in 1958, the building operated as a skating rink. However, Roseland actually began life in 1919 just a few blocks away at 51st and Broadway.
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