Woodstock 50 Denied Permit For New Proposed Location
Update: The town of Vernon, New York denied Woodstock 50’s beleaguered organizers second request for a permit to hold the festival at the Vernon Downs Casino and Hotel yesterday, according to Syracuse.com. The decision came in less than 24 hours after Woodstock 50 resubmitted the application. “Time does not permit me to cite all the deficiencies [in their proposal],” Reay Walker, the town’s building inspector, wrote in a four-page response. The town’s planning board still has yet to hold a hearing to discuss Woodstock 50’s appeal of their earlier decision. It has 30 days to set the date of the hearing. There are only 35 days left until Woodstock 50’s proposed kickoff; the festival has yet to put tickets on sale.
Original story: Woodstock 50 has hit yet another bump in its plans to stage the festival in New York August 16th – 18th. The festival’s effort to obtain a permit for its latest proposed location, Vernon Downs in the town of Vernon in Oneida County, New York, has been denied, Variety reports.
Following the festival’s loss of its original Watkins Glen International venue early last month, promoters said they would move forward with a new location. While Vernon Downs is reportedly its proposed new location, it has not been confirmed by organizers or listed on its website, although organizer Michael Lang did not deny reports that they applied for a permit for Vernon Downs when speaking with Rolling Stone in late June, adding that it’s just one of “three or four” possible venues in mind.
Oneida County Administrator Anthony Picente Jr. told Variety the promoters have five days to appeal the decision, but added “what they have submitted to date has not met many of the requirements” and their chances are “highly unlikely,” he said.
The beleaguered Woodstock 50 has suffered a number of setbacks. Shortly after Watkins Glen International pulled out of its contract with festival organizers, production company CID Entertainment announced it was no longer involved with the festival. In May, its then-production company partner Superfly severed ties with Woodstock 50 following festival financial backers Dentsu-Aegis announcing it was backing out and canceling the festival.
Since then, organizers have vowed the festival would take place, though no new official venue has been confirmed and tickets have not yet gone on sale with just over five weeks until it is scheduled to take place.