Shea Stadium Needs Your Money To Reopen

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — Williamsburg's Shea Stadium, a DIY music venue at the center of the independent music scene of NYC since 2009, is raising money to reopen after it shut down due to potential government fines. Its owners shut down the building at the beginning of March in order to stave off fines from city agencies, they said.

The goal of the fundraiser, which is seeking to raise $50,000, is to make the venue fully legal and permitted by the city. In January, Shea Stadium began to receive a series of violations related to the use of their building, as well as its zoning and licensing, its owners said. They decided to shut down the venue "preemptively to prevent racking up more expensive fines and risking more serious repercussions," they wrote.

The owners are asking for donations to help them raise money specifically for renovations to the building to pass inspections by the Department of Buildings, the FDNY and Department of Health ($20,000), architect fees for drafting plans and filing permits ($13,000), fire safety training ($1,000), health and bar permits ($7,000) and legal fees ($14,000).

Shea has already begun the "preliminary steps of this process," and its goal is to reopen later in 2017, a spokesperson for the venue said.

The owners are offering different levels of merchandise and free shows for heftier donations. See details and donate here.

Photo by Seth Applebaum/Shea Stadium