Open Thread: Should Made In America stay on the Parkway?

It’s been a difficult few days for fans of Jay-Z’s wildly popular Made in America festival, after reports last week said the Philly Mayor’s Office planned to move the festival off The Parkway starting in 2019.

The news was met with outrage by festival goers and Jay-Z himself, who has held the show on the Parkway every Labor Day Weekend since 2012. In this past, it has reportedly drawn crowds of 50,000 or more.

The rapper penned a letter on Philly.com’s website last week, saying that the festival was a boon to Philly and that the Parkway is an important part of the festival because of what it symbolizes as a cultural arts center.

Members of Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, then sat down with members of Philly Mayor Jim Kenney’s office to discuss the decision, ultimately announcing Monday that the festival would remain on the Parkway for “years to come,” and chalking the earlier decision up to a “miscommunication.”

The final decision has met a mixed reaction from residents, but we want to hear from you. Do you think the decision to keep the Made in America festival on the Parkway is a good one and why? Would you prefer to see it moved? If so, to where?

Let us know in the comments.

• Made in America will not be on the Parkway next year [BillyPenn]
• Jay-Z on Made in America [Philly.com]
• Made in America will stay on the Parkway [Curbed Philly]