SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — On Monday, Sep. 28, the Syracuse Common Council voted to revoke the Westcott Theater’s 2008 special use permit. This vote came one week after the Economic Development Committee held a “How We Got Here” informational presentation.
Common Council President Rita Paniagua said it was a difficult decision to make.
“This vote is not a vote against the arts or against having a theater at this location. It is about ensuring that a venue we value also lives up to the responsibility to the community around it,” Paniagua said.
With the increased violence in the neighborhood, the Council felt that the operators of the theater were not managing it effectively. One example, cited in a 17-page report that the theater had violated the original special use permit, stated that on March 16, 2025, police responded to a fight involving multiple groups of women outside the venue. Another incident from May of 2025 referenced a shooting that occurred nearby, with 25 shell casings recovered in the area and gunfire striking two buildings and three vehicles.
Alexander Marion, the Syracuse city auditor, posted a statement on X right after the vote that he believed the Council made the right decision.
“The current operators have not acted in good faith to comply with the law and this is a serious, necessary step to preserve public safety and quality of life on Westcott Street,” Marion said.
On Aug. 5, Jake Dishaw, the deputy commissioner of Code Enforcement and Zoning Administration, published the 17-page report that the theater had violated the original special use permit from when the venue opened in 2008. With the permit revoked, Jimmy Monto, Fifth District councilor of the Syracuse Common Council, said it leaves a few options.
“It would leave the operator of the theater with the option to reapply for another special use permit inside of new parameters. Or it would leave the building owner to find someone new to operate the theater,” Monto said.
As of Monday afternoon, there were three events on the Westcott Theater’s website listed for October and November. However, with this new ruling, those events and all future events have been canceled, as the 18-year-old venue is now out of business.