A 15-year-old entertainment venue in Harrisburg announced Tuesday it is closing.
In a Facebook post, the owners of Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center said they were unable to agree with City of Harrisburg officials to pay “outstanding” entertainment taxes.
As a result, HMAC said the city refused to renew the venue’s health and mercantile licenses.
In the message, directed to Harrisburg City Council, Mayor Wanda Williams, City Solicitor Neil Grover, and the community, HMAC said it has no choice but to close.
“Without these [licenses], and in accordance with requirements from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, HMAC is legally prohibited from continuing operations,” they said.
A closing date was not announced. It was not clear how much in taxes the business owed.
Earlier this month, HMAC announced a temporary closure due to damage from a recent winter storm.
It’s not clear if they ever reopened. The next concerts, G Herbo and Relly Wrld, were both scheduled for Feb. 20.
HMAC said the decision was made despite “repeated, good-faith efforts by HMAC’s ownership and legal representatives to engage city leadership in meaningful dialogue.”
They said their attorneys reached out several times seeking a resolution and offered “substantial partial payment toward outstanding ‘entertainment tax’ obligations” along with a structured plan to pay off the remaining balance.
“These efforts were met with silence. Requests for meetings went unanswered. Formal correspondence received no reply. The absence of engagement left us with the unavoidable conclusion that resolution was never meaningfully pursued,” they said.
HMAC said it is taxed 10% on every show and every ticket sold under the city-enforced tax, regardless of whether it makes a profit.
Noting it doesn’t dispute its responsibility, HMAC’s owners blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for impacting live music venues across the nation.
“HMAC endured those hardships, not by abandoning its obligations, but by fighting to recover, reinvest, and honor them,” they said.
The closure comes at a time when HMAC said it was prepared to start a $2 million renovation project to the building.
HMAC Venue LLC purchased the business in 2019 for $6 million.
The owners said several employees will lose their jobs, but didn’t elaborate on how many people would be affected. They also said they remain open to “constructive dialogue.”
“For 15 years, HMAC has been more than a business. It has been a home for artists, a stage for expression, and a gathering place for connection. It has brought music, poetry, theater, art, performance, and shared experience to thousands. It has drawn visitors who supported neighboring restaurants, hotels, and small businesses. It has stood as a symbol of creativity, resilience, and community investment—even during the most uncertain times,” the statement said.
The entire message can be read on HMAC’s Facebook page.
PennLive has reached out to Harrisburg solicitor Neil Grover for further clarification but has not yet received a response.