BCA: Governor's Ball festival could be moved to Van Cortlandt Park

Organizers of the Governor's Ball annual music festival want to move the three-day event to Van Cortlandt Park, but members of the community are pushing back.

News 12 Staff

Dec 21, 2019, 12:13 AM

Updated 1,582 days ago

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Organizers of the Governor's Ball annual music festival want to move the three-day event to Van Cortlandt Park, but members of the community are pushing back.
The festival takes place on Randall's Island every summer. It is known to bring in big-name artists from different genres such as Kanye West, Shawn Mendes, and Major Lazer.
With big-names come big-time crowds--50,000 people are expected to attend the festival this summer--leaving local residents furious at the thought.
One group that opposes the move is the Broadway Community Alliance. They say the area  is quiet and that the event will wreak havoc and disrupt the quality of life.
The Parks Department says an event this big has never taken place at the park. They tell News 12 that the department denied the permit from Founders Entertainment, and told the company in an email in part, "The park is not a viable venue for an event of this size and duration."
When asked about the possibility of local businesses benefiting from the added foot traffic, the BCA says food and drinks are served in the event. They also said attendees are not allowed to go in and out of the event.
The group is holding strong to its opposition to the event. “It is a public safety issue. The control of the crowds. The disruption, it will have an extremely negative affect on the quality of life of residential neighborhoods. It belongs in Randall’s Island," said Chair of BCA Laura Spalter.
According to 'The City', Founders Entertainment plans to appeal the decision. The festival is scheduled to take place on June 5,6, and 7 with no set venue.
News 12 reached out to Founders Entertainment for a statement, and has not heard back yet.


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