Forest Hills Stadium will continue to host concerts for the foreseeable future, under a settlement announced this week intended to end years of acrimony between the Queens venue and its neighbors who have long complained about noise and other disruptions.
The agreement ends all ongoing litigation between neighborhood group Forest Hills Gardens Corporation and stadium owner West Side Tennis Club and operator Tiebreaker Productions. In a joint statement, the three groups said the deal would allow the venue to host up to 28 concerts per season until 2040.
The Gardens Corporation, spurred by neighbors’ complaints about noise and traffic, has filed several lawsuits in recent years to try to stop or reduce concerts at the stadium. At one point, the group refused to let the NYPD close its private roads to help manage traffic, prompting the department to temporarily deny public address permits.
As part of the deal, Tiebreaker Productions will pay the neighborhood group “substantial payments” for each show, starting at $15,000 over the first four years and rising to $18,000, as well as a one-time upfront payment of $275,000. A portion of the initial payment will go toward “restoration and beautification projects.”
The agreement stipulates a curfew for amplified sound and designated routes for concert traffic; Rideshare vans will travel outside of Forest Hills Gardens.
The Gardens Corporation board welcomed the agreement in a statement, saying it would allow for clear, enforceable protections for the first time.
Tiebreaker also said the deal would preserve the future of the venue while supporting the neighborhood.
The deal follows a change in management at Gardens Corporation. A new board elected late last year campaigned to end litigation over the stadium, citing legal costs. In March, that board settled a federal lawsuit against the city over use of private streets for $150,000.
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