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Each year we look forward to Forest Hills Stadium’s iconic summer concert series, so we couldn’t hide our sadness when we found out the iconic venue faced risk of closure over a lawsuit claiming the stadium lowered the quality of life for residents of the neighborhood earlier this year. Thankfully, that lawsuit was dismissed, though the stadium is now at risk once again.
A new motion for a preliminary injunction has been filed against West Side Tennis Club (WSTC), which owns the stadium and leases the venue to concert operators, via the Forest Hills Garden Corp (FHGC), a homeowners association whose members live by the venue. The FHGC is looking to prohibit WSTC from licensing, authorizing, or allowing any concerts to take place at the stadium.
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The motion is following in the same footsteps as the previous one, stating that the stadium’s concerts cause “severe and irreparable harm to the community.” Complaints regarding the stadium’s concerts included in the motion are as follows:
- Excessive noise pollution
- Littering
- Impaired resident access to their homes
- Trespassing
- Urinating on private property
- Illegal sales of nitrous oxide cartridges outside the venue
- Blocked access to private streets during events due to private security guards
The motion aims to prohibit WSTC from scheduling concerts during the school year or on weeknights and aims to prohibit any concerts that exceed noise level standards outlined in the city’s Noise Code. Additionally, the FHGC wants to prevent shows that require placing concert-related equipment, such as ticket queues and booths, on private streets.
Anthony Oprisiu, president of the FHGC Board of Directors, is urging officials to uphold the motion and “protect the community from further significant and irreparable harm.” Oprisiu stated:
A record-breaking 37 events took place at the stadium during the 2024 season. The noise from the concerts sends vibrations through residents’ houses for hours at a time, and the crowds make it impossible for residents to enjoy their homes and neighborhood.
As they did last time, WSTC is fighting against the motion. Akiva Shapiro, an attorney representing WSTC, claimed the motion is a “PR gambit masquerading as an injunction motion,” and noted how Queens County Supreme Court Judge Joseph J. Esposito recently dismissed five of seven claims the FHGC made against WSTC.
The two claims not dismissed were regarding public and private nuisance, though both are set to be decided on in 2025. Shapiro, however, is confident WSTC will come out on top. He stated:
All of Mr. Oprisiu’s lies can’t erase the overwhelming good the Forest Hills Stadium does for the community, the Stadium’s close coordination with City agencies at every turn, and the more than 25,000 signatures of support for the Stadium on a recent petition.
Just last month, though, attorneys representing FHGC sent a letter to the NYPD which threatened legal action if they continued to issue permits to the stadium for its 2025 concert season. Shapiro responded to this by stating the letter was “false and defamatory.”
For now, we’ll have to wait until the remaining two claims are decided on to see where the fate of the concert series lies. In the meantime, attorneys representing Forest Hills Stadium are viewing the prior dismissal of the five claims as a win.