Westcott Theater shutting down due to city code violations, licensing issues
The Syracuse Department of Code Enforcement shut down all events at the Westcott Theater after finding code violations and licensing issues. It will remain closed until violations are corrected. Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
The Syracuse Department of Code Enforcement shut down all events at the Westcott Theater on Tuesday, citing code violations and licensing issues. It will remain closed until violations are corrected and it obtains the proper licenses.
Following crowd fights and gunfire at the theater last Saturday, city inspectors discovered the theater lacked an Entertainment/Exhibit license and had multiple code violations, syracuse.com reported.
The Syracuse Central Permit Office requires all venues to submit an Entertainment/Exhibit license 14 days before holding an event. The theater has failed to apply within this timeframe for its events and will likely cancel its upcoming lineup, syracuse.com reported.
The property also violated city code with its fenced-in outdoor patio, preventing people from exiting in case of emergency, inspectors told syracuse.com.
The theater was also cited in July 2024 for hosting an event without a license, syracuse.com reported.
Syracuse City Code Enforcement Director Ryan Shiel said the violations and police presence at last weekend’s event “present an immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare of the occupants of the Property and to the general public” in a letter posted at the door of the theater, syracuse.com reported.
Following its shutdown, City Auditor Alexander Marion announced he would hold a press conference outside the theater on Wednesday, issuing a “five-point plan” to improve city licensing, according to a Tuesday press release.
A notice posted along with the letter forbids anyone from entering the theater, threatening violators with trespassing charges.
“I believe this is a misunderstanding and we are doing everything we can to have this rectified as soon as possible,” theater owner Dan Mastronardi told syracuse.com.
The Westcott Theater has not yet shared any information about the closure on its Instagram or Facebook pages.
This post will be updated with additional reporting.
