Last week news came out that Warehouse District live music venue La Zona Rosa, which has been in operation for more than 30 years, appeared to be up for sale. Then the new owners released a statement that no immediate changes are planned but options are being explored.

Last night an employee at La Zona Rosa confirmed that the venue’s future is uncertain. The source said staff have not been told anything about what the owners’ “new vision for La Zona Rosa” might entail, but that the venue will definitely remain in operation in its current state until April 2012. After that date, La Zona Rosa may remain open as a venue or be repurposed for other uses. Regardless, the employee said the building, which was originally constructed as a garage, is long overdue for repairs.

Fun Halloween tidbit: La Zona Rosa is built atop an old graveyard (pieces of tombstones were discovered under the floor during additions made to the building in the mid-’90s) and many members of the staff there believe the space is haunted by the ghost of a dead hooker.

It’s been sad news lately for lovers of live music in Austin. First there was the sudden closing of Emo’s outdoor stage. Then news that Emo’s indoors would be shuttered by the end of the year. With that staple of the Red River music district gone and speculation the Waller Creek Tunnel Project (Austin’s attempt at mimicking the San Antonio River Walk) could mean the end for other nearby venues as well, it’s a concerning time for patrons of the dozen or so bars and venues that make up the Red River District.

If you’re a fan of live music and feel like getting a little bummed out/trying to remain optimistic about what the loss of Emo’s (and maybe La Zona Rosa) could mean for the scene, here is some further reading:

Departure of Emo’s from Red River could have deep effects on music scene —Austin360

Will the rest of the Red River clubs withstand Emo’s downtown closure? —CultureMap Austin

(Eric Pulsifer)