Forest Hills Stadium neighbors insist concert noise dispute remains unresolved amid claims of a truce
Some Queens residents are dreading the upcoming summer concert season after they say their complaints about noise levels at Forest Hills Stadium have gone unaddressed.
The issue has been causing controversy for years.
"There's no agreement reached"
In a new turn for the conflict, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards says the shows will go on, claiming his office helped opposing sides reach an agreement.
"Thousands of union jobs are attached to these concerts," he said. "Music brings us all together."
But some are calling it a misrepresentation.
"There's no agreement reached. It's just completely wrong," Forest Hills resident Matthew Mandell said.
He is law chair for the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation, a group of homeowners suing over what they call an escalation. They say stadium concerts have spiked in volume and frequency in recent years, shattering pre-pandemic norms.
"What this is about is a hedge fund and their partners making as much money as possible," he said.
"They're not addressing the real issues"
Some neighbors tell CBS News New York they can't hear themselves think over the window-rattling bass, made worse by litter left behind.
"I think what they did is they just took a messy situation and made it much messier," Mandell said.
In a reversal of a previous order denying sound permits, a new letter from the NYPD says the season kick-off show featuring the group Bloc Party can go forward on May 31 with private security and other provisions.
"It just seems kind of like a Hail Mary pass to try to make things work when they're not addressing the real issues," Mandell said.
Some neighbors on the residential streets surrounding the stadium are looking forward to this year's shows, however.
"I love the concerts. I like the community it brings," said Bambi Levine, a resident of 25 years. "It just makes the neighborhood feel really, really special and cool."
In response to the pushback, stadium representatives told CBS News New York: "Nobody should listen to this small group of individuals who are indifferent to judges' orders and the careful, comprehensive safety plan that has been vetted by the City of New York and the NYPD. See you at the Stadium this summer!"
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