Forest Hills Stadium reaches deal with neighbors to limit concert noise

After years of litigation over concert noise, a new settlement allows Forest Hills Stadium to continue its concerts with added restrictions.

The Forest Hills Gardens Corporation, a private community, sued the stadium's owners and operator, arguing concerts at the venue had become too frequent and too loud. 

Under the new deal, concerts will be capped at 28 per season during the initial term and 29 during renewal terms, with added measures to monitor noise levels and enforce a 10:00 p.m. curfew for amplified sound. The contract authorizes stadium operator Tiebreaker Productions to apply for a 10:30 p.m. extension on Fridays and Saturdays in July. The agreement also includes new measures for clean-up, security, and traffic management. 

Under the contract, Tiebreaker will offer per-show payments to Forest Hills Gardens Corporation starting at $15,500 and reaching $18,000 during the three-year final renewal term. 

Tiebreaker Productions said in a statement: 

"Forest Hills Stadium's commitment to the neighborhood of Forest Hills Gardens, the borough of Queens, and the entirety of New York City informs everything we do. First and foremost, we strive to be a good neighbor by hosting unique music and cultural events that create a positive economic impact, all while serving the neighborhood's ethos through partnerships, local sponsorships, and sharing the use of our physical space for fundraisers and children's events. The Club, the Gardens, and the Stadium are each more than a century old and, together, share a deep interest in stewarding and protecting these precious pieces of New York City history; to maintain what came before us, to enhance our relationship with the current community, and to ensure the future of these important entities. This agreement preserves the Stadium's future and directly supports the neighborhood we are so lucky to call home. The Tiebreaker team also appreciates the enduring support and efforts by our Borough President Donovan Richards."

The Forest Hills Gardens Corporation Board of Directors said in a statement: 

"For the first time in years, the Forest Hills Gardens community has clear, enforceable protections for how the Stadium operates — a firm limit on the number of shows, a strict curfew, fireworks only with neighborhood approval, and meaningful financial payments. We are very happy that we were able to reach a settlement. With the divisiveness of the lawsuits now behind us, we look forward to building a constructive working relationship with the Stadium and are proud to usher in this new chapter for our community."

The stadium began hosting concerts in the 1960s, and shows increased after a revival in 2013, topping 30 in some years. Some nearby residents complained of booming bass, late nights, and traffic blocking access to their homes. 

"The way we mitigate the noise is we close the windows, and we turn on the air conditioners, and we close our drapes," Marty Levinson said.

Others embrace the concerts as a neighborhood perk.

"I think when you choose to live here, you already know there's a stadium here, and it kind of comes with it," Laura Rodriguez said. "I've enjoyed it when I can go out on my balcony and listen to music that I wasn't able to get tickets to."

Masani Pizza owner Alexandra Chau attends shows regularly at the stadium and welcomes a resolution to the bitter dispute.

"We don't live in California. This is not like the Hollywood Bowl, where you are so far away from all of the homes," she said. "So it sounds like, with this settlement, really everybody gets to win, where we still get that great access to live music."

Levinson argues that the deal falls short of adequately supporting Forest Hills residents like him, who live alongside the stadium but outside the private community's boundaries.

"We think the club is an asset to the community. What is not an asset to the community is the concerts," he said. 

Forest Hills Gardens Corporation says the agreement puts in place clear, lasting protections for those living closest to the stadium and for the neighborhood as a whole. 

"The stadium has been an economic boon to Forest Hills, and I'm glad that we're going to be enjoying the music and the culture for many years to come," Councilmember Lynn Schulman said. 

The contract is in effect immediately ahead of the upcoming concert season and will remain in place through 2040.

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