Summer concerts are to return to Forest Hills Stadium this summer after the NYPD granted “conditional approval” to an alternative security plan for events at the venue.
The NYPD had previously informed West Side Tennis Club, which operates and leases Forest Hills Stadium, and Tiebreaker Productions, which runs events at the venue, that it could not issue sound amplification permits for the 2025 summer concert season because local homeowners group the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation (FHGC) would not grant access to the privately-owned streets surrounding the stadium.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced Monday that he had brokered a deal between West Side Tennis Club, Tiebreaker Productions, the NYPD and FHGC to allow concerts to continue at the venue as planned this summer.
As part of the deal, Tiebreaker Productions has agreed to utilize private security teams to monitor conditions on the privately-owned streets surrounding Forest Hills Stadium during events at the venue.
The NYPD, meanwhile, has granted conditional approval of sound amplification permits for the venue for a Bloc Party event on May 31 based on the security plan.
The NYPD set out the terms of the approval in a letter to Tiebreaker, stating that the event organizer must employ at least 20 private security personnel from three hours before the start of the event until one hour after the event.
Furthermore, private security teams must use blocker cars and metal barricades to close off privately-owned streets three hours before the event until one hour after, the NYPD said in a letter to Tiebreaker. Blocker cars and barricades will be moved temporarily to allow residents access to their homes, the NYPD said.
The letter also set out that the NYPD and Tiebreaker will meet for an in-person review of the security plan for the concert, also outlining that Tiebreaker and any affiliated party must compensate the city for any claims, losses or liabilities arising out of the “actions of Tiebreaker security.”
The letter does not mention any other planned events for the 2025 season. Between June and Oct. 25, 18 events are scheduled at Forest Hills Stadium.
Richards welcomed the NYPD decision to grant conditional sound amplification permits, describing the venue as a “cultural crown jewel” in Queens and stating that the annual concert series will provide a major boost to the local economy.
“This historic venue is emblematic of all that makes Queens great, and I’m thrilled to say we’ve struck a deal to ensure the shows will go on in 2025 as planned,” Richards said in a statement Monday evening. “Beyond its cultural impact, the annual concert series is a boost to Forest Hills’ economy, uplifting small businesses and creating hundreds of jobs at the stadium in the process.
“I’m grateful to Mayor Adams, Deputy Mayor Mastro and all involved for coming together, negotiating in good faith and crafting an agreement that will benefit everyone in Central Queens and beyond.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Forest Hills Stadium said West Side Tennis Club and Tiebreaker Production was pleased to announce that the summer concert series was returning to the venue “as anticipated.”
“Each year, our team works closely with the local community and elected officials to bring world-class performances at one of the most iconic music venues in the country,” a Forest Hills Stadium spokesperson said in a statement.
“We’re excited to welcome fans back this summer and proud to continue our role as a cultural cornerstone of the Queens community. See you at the Stadium!”
However, FHGC pushed back against the news, stating that the group had not agreed to any security plan for the summer.
Matthew Mandell, chair of FHGC’s Law Committee, accused Richards and Tiebreaker Productions of going behind the group’s back and attempting to “go forward without us.”
Mandell said FHGC had agreed to enter into professional mediation with Tiebreaker and West Side Tennis Club and said he was “optimistic” that all parties could find solutions to the long-term issues related to summer events at Forest Hills Stadium.
He added that FHGC’s solution to the long-standing legal dispute over the stadium is for the venue to return to the “way it was” prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting the number of yearly events to 17 and reducing noise levels.
Mandell also said it was “absurd” for West Side Tennis Club and Tiebreaker Productions to indicate to the NYPD that they have the authority to close the privately owned streets surrounding the stadium.
West Side Tennis Club is one of roughly 900 members that make up FHGC. However, Mandell contended that the organization does not have the right to close the streets just because it is a member.
“There are 900 members (in FHGC). The idea that a single member can hire private security and close our streets is absurd. Can I do that? Can my neighbor do that? Can the churches do that?” Mandell said.
Mandell described Richards’ press release announcing that the NYPD has granted sound amplification permits for the 2025 season as “false,” stating that the NYPD has only granted conditional approval for the Bloc Party event on May 31.
He also pointed to a period at the venue between Sept. 26 and Sept. 30 when there are events scheduled for five days in a row, including three “all-day” events for the All Things Go concerts between Sept. 26-28.
“People are willing to put up with a certain amount of nuisance, but you need to give people a break,” Mandell said, adding that the events can “paralyze” the neighborhood.
In response to the comments, Richards said he had made it clear on several occasions that a small group of residents should not have veto power over the “socioeconomic vitality of an entire community.”
“With this year’s Forest Hills Stadium concert series fast approaching, I’m proud to have worked with the Mayor’s Office, the NYPD, and Tiebreaker Productions to solve the problems posed by the operation of a major music venue within a residential neighborhood,” Richards said in response.
Richards said discussions continue between all parties, stating that FHGC has been involved “every step of the way.”
“I applaud Tiebreaker for its genuine efforts to be the best neighbor it can be, and I continue to call on the FHGC to drop its obstructionist outlook, finally begin negotiating in good faith, and join us in seeking long-term solutions that deliver for Forest Hills.”
West Side Tennis Club and Tiebreaker Productions similarly pushed back against Mandell’s comments.
“This small group of individuals seems indifferent to judges’ orders and the careful, comprehensive safety plan that has been vetted by the City of New York and the NYPD,” a spokesperson for the stadium said in a follow-up statement. “See you at the Stadium this summer.”
Officials representing the organizations also noted that the NYPD letter is a “clear directive” for the 2025 season despite only mentioning the Bloc Party event on May 31. Officials conceded that it is “narrowly true” that the sound amplification permit relates only to the May 31 event but said organizers typically only applied for permits within days of each show in previous years – and were granted permits almost immediately.
They said this is the earliest organizers have ever applied for a permit and said the successful receipt of the permit means the stadium is “set” for the upcoming season.
Officials also said the planned mediation aims to resolve long-term legal disputes between the parties and is not focused on the upcoming season, stating the Mayor’s office has already hosted separate talks between Forest Hills Stadium representatives and FHGC regarding the 2025 season.
