Coachella may be coming to New York City. According to a new report, AEG Live, the organizers behind the world-renowned two-weekend festival are plotting an expansion eastward that would take place at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, next June in 2016.
According to the New York Daily News, the festival would is tentatively titled Panorama and would occur near the site of the US Open and the Unisphere out in the park.
The event would be one of the largest gatherings in the area in Queens since the 1964 State Fair. The US Open occurs each year and the Mets play nearby at City Field.
The new festival would be in direct competition with Governors Ball, which is one of the largest music festivals in New York City that caters to music fans of all tastes.
Coachella sold 198,000 tickets this past year. It is unlikely it would attempt something on that scale in New York City, but the appetite is there.
According to the report, AEG Live is already eyeing a target date for its launch and has begun contacting artists. It would attempt to have its inaugural festival two weeks after Governors Ball, which will take place the weekend of June 3-5. This new rivalry could drive up the prices of headliners and second-tier acts as AEG Live and Governors Ball compete for the biggest touring acts next summer. With higher booking fees comes high ticket prices. It could also force them to diversify their lineups and think outside of the box.
Flushing Meadows is no stranger to large musical gatherings. The Arthur Ashe stadium, where the largest US Open matches are played, including the final, hosts concerts during the late spring, summer and fall with acts who may not be able to fill a 65,000 person capacity stadium, but still want an outdoor arena feel to a concert.
If this Coachella of the east happens, expect there to be a lot less dust and maybe a few less flower headresses.
