Magic City Music Hall is set to close at the end of the month, more than four years after opening its doors.
According to business owner Stu Green, the hall will close at its current location on 365 Harry L. Drive in Johnson City because of conflicts with the lease.
“We weren’t able to come to terms on a new lease,” Green said. “It’s very disappointing to ourselves and the community.”
Although he hasn’t found a new location yet, Green said that he and other business associates hired a realtor and are looking for a new home for the hall.
“It’s got to be the right venue,” he said, adding that any new site would still be in the Binghamton area. “It’s got to be done right or we’re not going to do it. The place is too cool to not do it right.”
The venue, which has hosted between 400 and 500 shows and has a seating capacity of 1,500, according to Green, will carry out its remaining shows — including performances by Matisyahu and Tesla — and wrap up the month with the “Last Blast At the Hall.” The Oct. 31 show, which is slated to include four acts, Rock Kandy, Tanked, Dropclutch and Rock Garden, will be a “last finale” for the place, Green said.
Community members aren’t happy about the closing, he said.
“Everybody’s disappointed and upset that they’re not going to be able to see shows,” Green said.
The 25 part-time workers and three full-time staff members that Magic City employs also have a reason to be disappointed — when the hall closes its doors, they’ll be out of work.
“It’s a lot of jobs lost,” Green said, adding that if the venue does reopen, all the employees will be rehired.
Some of the Hall’s acts over the years have included Third Eye Blind, Snoop Dogg and Blues Traveler.
Reports from the Press & Sun-Bulletin state that the American Red Cross will open a chapter after the Hall is gone.