Attendees at concerts later this year at Forest Hills Stadium will now enjoy indoor plumbing at the facility, which is also set to install gender-neutral bathrooms as well as other upgrades since it re-opened five years ago.
The new bathrooms will be installed in its concourse to “cut down on wait times and allow fans to get back to their seats as fast as possible,” the stadium announced.
In addition to the bathrooms, the stadium will welcome back New York City’s only automat, a vending machine that serves hot food. The first automat in America was opened in 1902 and they became popular in New York with struggling musicians and actors.
The venue, which also released its concert lineup from June to October, will look to stay open year-round with the installation of a “Winter Wonderland.” Mike Luba, partner at Madison House Presents, the concert promoter at the stadium told AMNY that the plan includes installing an ice skating rink in the stadium surrounded by Christmas trees and holiday vendors.
Patrick Confrey, a spokesperson for the stadium, told QNS that “there’s nothing official to report yet but we’re working on making it a reality this winter.”
Forest Hills Stadium used to be the home of the U.S. Open and hosted Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson’s Grand Slam wins. The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan all performed at the venue during the ’60s and ’70s.
When the U.S. Open moved to Flushing Meadows Corona Park in 1977, Forest Hills Stadium fell into disrepair. In 2013, Madison House Presents and the West Side Tennis Club partnered to re-open the venue.
2018 Concert Calendar:
June 8 – Belle & Sebastian with Perfume Genius and Frankie Cosmos
June 9 – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats and The Head and the Heart with Hiss Golden Messenger
June 13 – Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters with special guest Sheryl Crow and Seth Lakeman
June 15 – alt-J with special guest Kamasi Washington
June 17 – Roger Daltrey performs The Who’s ‘TOMMY’ with The New York Pops
June 22 – Dropkick Murphys & Flogging Molly
July 24 – Arctic Monkeys
July 28 – The Life Tour: starring Boy George & Culture Club and The B-52s with special guest Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey
Aug. 11 – Black Summer Night For Social Justice – Maxwell with Fantasia, DVSN and Jazmine Sullivan, with additional guest performances and organizations
Aug. 17 – CAKE and Ben Folds with Tall Heights
Aug. 18 – Russell Peters’ Deported World Tour
Sept. 8 – Jamiroquai
Sept. 12 – Van Morrison and Willie Nelson & Family
Sept. 15 – David Byrne with Tune-Yards
Sept. 22 – Portugal. The Man with Lucius
Sept. 29 + Sept. 30 – The National presents: There’s No Leaving New York; a two-day event at Forest Hills Stadium. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Future Islands, Cat Power, Cigarettes After Sex, Phoebe Bridgers, U.S. Girls, Bully, Adia Victoria
Oct. 6 – The Infatuation presents EEEEEATSCON – Discover A Different Kind of Food Festival
