The Forest Hills Stadium summer concert series has returned with “conditional approval” from the NYPD, after city officials threatened to silence all of their musical performances this year on Monday night, after a feud between the Queens venue and their disgruntled neighbors.
A breakthrough between the parties has been reached, as long as the outdoor attractions on the Westside Tennis Club property meet a variety of conditions, nearly 20 scheduled shows will allow them to go as planned, city hall officials said in an email to the Post.
The approval was quickly welcomed by the venue and President Donovan Richards of Queens Borough.
“Forest Hills Stadium is the jewel of our borough’s cultural crown, bringing a diverse crowd to Queens every summer through the power of music,” Richards said in a statement.
“This historic venue is a symbol of everything that makes Queens great and we are excited to say we have signed a deal in 2025 to ensure the show continues as planned.”
Democrat Richards jumped into Fracus in Forest Hills last month and claimed he didn’t want black people from wealthy communities, including residents of nearby Forest Hills Gardens Corporation (FHGC) and concerns over noise and quality of life issues.
Last month, the NYPD told the stadium-owned Westside Tennis Club it would not be able to issue sound amplification permits for the venue until officers can access private roads in the surrounding area.
However, a city hall spokesman said Monday that the NYPD had pre-signed off an “alternative security plan” for its first concert on May 31, with a “comprehensive private security strategy.”
“NYPD conditional approval allows us to continue our concert this summer if the stadium meets certain conditions, such as city noise codes and compliance with appropriate security measures,” the spokesman said.
Such measures include private security at the stadium deploying blocker cars and barricades to close private streets around the venue three hours before and an hour after the concert, city officials said.
Authorities say the sound permit can be retracted again if the noise level exceeds what is legally permitted.
The venue celebrated the news with an announcement without mentioning the warning.
“As expected, we are pleased to announce that New York City has given Forest Hills Stadium the green light to help the 2025 concert season go as planned,” the venue posted. Online Monday.
“Every year, our team works closely with the local community, being elected civil servants, bringing world-class performances at one of the nation’s most iconic music venues.”
There will be 19 shows, including performances by Phish, The Black Keys and Mumford and Sons scheduled for May 31st to the end of October to the end of October.
It was not immediately clear what the FHGC thought about the new plan, but its leadership told residents last week that it was mediating with the venue.
“The FHGC values and respects all parties involved in this issue. Our main concern has been to always minimize the impact of the concert on the surrounding community, part of the letters obtained by the Post State.”
“Noise, crowds, traffic control, sanitation, access to homes and businesses are realistic and pressing issues that must be addressed to ensure a safe, respectful and successful concert season for everyone.”
A local who lives near the venue said she is not opposed to shows at the stadium, but hopes that the charm will pay more respect and host fewer concerts.
“We need someone to surround this. It’s a confusing thing. It wasn’t this confusing before,” said the woman who didn’t want to be identified. “It feels totally out of control.”
Additional report by Katherine Donlevy.
