101-Year-Old Forest Hills Stadium Threatens To Close Over Lawsuit
A current lawsuit stands between Forest Hills Stadium and residents of the Queens neighborhood after years of “excessive noise pollution” and “littering” from shows having seemingly lowered the area’s quality of life, as reported by NYS Music.
Claims of shaky windows up to three blocks away from the stadium have been made, in conjunction with reports of extreme trash around the area following a show. Forest Hills Stadium has called the lawsuit “frivolous”, defending the venue’s importance to the borough and its prevailing neighborliness.
“Each performance ends by 10:00 p.m., cleaners work the streets before, during, and after shows, and the venue has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on noise mitigation and controlled amplification. All in the name of community,” wrote the stadium.
The more than century old venue has been an iconic NYC landmark since it was first constructed to host the US Open in the 1920s. It first served as a music venue during a festival in 1960. Since then, it has welcomed show-stopping music legends for the last six decades.
The stadium fits a capacity of up to 13,000 audience members (for comparison, MSG fits 19,500 seats) and it was last updated in 2013.
This isn’t the first legal battle Forest Hills Stadium has had to deal with in recent years. A previous failed lawsuit attempted to temporarily stop shows at the venue. Additionally, a ruling was made by Supreme Court Justice Joseph Esposito to ensure Forest Hills Stadium is working to reduce excessive noise coming from the venue.
Following the most recent lawsuit however, the stadium has launched a petition to keep the venue alive. “If you love Forest Hills Stadium … if you love the music, the history, the singular space … if you believe the venue belongs here and should continue with our mission, PLEASE SAY IT OUT LOUD!,” reads the petition. They hope to reach 15,000 signatures, and are already nearing 11,000 signatures.
“Forest Hills Stadium has been a part of the fabric of Queens for decades…Please help show local representatives in government that the community and the people they serve love and support Forest Hills Stadium,” writes the petition.
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