With Major League Baseball on hold and music festivals postponed in the wake of coronavirus, here's a concept: Turn Yankee Stadium's unused parking lot into a drive-in entertainment location.
At least that's the idea that Marco Shalma and his MASC Hospitality Group have been determined to bring to fruition since March, when they started working with vendors to turn the stadium's huge lot into a place for attendees to park their cars and have an "elevated" experience, says Shalma.
Shalma is calling the summer series the Uptown Drive-in Experience. He aims to have the festival run right after July 4 and through August, with games, giveaways, movies, food and music performances.
Tickets – which will be charged per vehicle – are not yet on sale as final details, dates and partnerships are still being worked out. The event, held on private property, will be compliant with city regulations, Shalma says.
A change in New York's reopening plans would be "the only thing that would stop this from happening," he says.
How will it all work? Uptown Drive-In will have a vehicle reservation system, require cars to park 10 feet apart, feature giant movie screens, provide live music streamed through car radios and have sanitized restrooms available, Shalma says.
The Uptown idea was first announced in Time Out magazine.
Shalma hopes for guests to bring a positive energy to the events. (He also expects to feature famous New York City-set films.)
"I want them to look to the car next to them and see their friends. I see an energy, a tailgate experience," says Shalma. "Instead of screaming 'Bingo!' they're honking their horns."
