Grammys Returning To NYC Next Year?
After a hiatus of 13 years, the Grammy Awards are expected to return to New York in 2018. That’s the word from The New York Times, citing several people “familiar with the city’s bid to lure the ceremony from Los Angeles.” The Times reports this imminent announcement caps months of talks between the office of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Recording Academy to bring the 60th Annual Grammy Awards to New York’s Madison Square Garden — an effort that included a burst of last-minute fundraising from business leaders.
The ceremony had traditionally migrated back and forth between New York and Los Angeles since 1959. However, the last time the Grammys were held in New York was in 2003, when then Mayor Michael Bloomberg persuaded the Recording Academy to return to New York after four years in Los Angeles. The ceremony returned to the west coast the following year, and has remained there since. The Times‘ piece says the main obstacle in returning to New York after a 13-year hiatus is money — The Recording Academy says that producing the awards in New York would run several million dollars more than what it costs in Los Angeles; changing the venue would require bridging that gap. Another factor in L.A.’s favor: The Staples Center had been specially designed to accommodate the Grammys, a key factor in keeping the ceremony there.
A formal announcement regarding the 2018 ceremony is expected to be made in the coming weeks by Mayor de Blasio, but those involved in the negotiations and various members of the host committee have already been informed of the impending move. While no one is speaking in absolutes just yet, Neda Azarfar, a spokeswoman for the Recording Academy said in a statement, “We’re thrilled the Recording Academy is in extensive discussions to return the Grammy Awards to NYC in 2018.” Rosemary Boeglin, a spokeswoman for Mayor de Blasio, stopped short of confirming the move back to New York, saying only that the city hoped for “a formal decision soon.” She then added, tantalizingly, “After a 15-year absence, we’re confident New York City is the rightful home for the Grammys’ 60th anniversary.”
