A Depression-era pool in the New York borough has been the site of both free events, hosted by promoter Jelly, and paid events, promoted by AEG. The former has been eliminated because The Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn, a nonprofit that operates with the state to manage the concerts, says Jelly can no longer pay its bills. The events were funded by corporate sponsorships.

“Over the years we provided generous financial subsidies and other forms of support for Jelly’s concerts in order to keep the Sunday shows free to the public,” the Alliance said in a statement. “But, as a community-based nonprofit, OSA can no longer cover both the costs of putting on these events – equipment, labor, and payments to the state for use of their park – and Jelly’s substantial debt.”

Jelly responded that it has “made every single contracted payment to Open Space Alliance in full as outlined in our contract for the 2010 season” and said the “delinquent payments” in question refer to surprise fees, billed to them by OSA, that were not in the contract.

The Jelly Pool Parties became a political football, with Sen. Chuck Schumer advocating for the event.

The AEG Live concerts – which are paid benefits – continue. The pool parties began at the McCarren Park Pool in 2006 with the help of Live Nation and were moved to the East River State Park last summer.