Photo credit: Brett Padelford

Forest Hills Stadium, a popular venue in Queens, New York, is facing significant hurdles in its 2025 concert season as it was recently denied sound amplification permits. Brooklyn Vegan reported the denial due to a legal dispute with its neighbors over noise complaints. 

According to The New York Post, the permits were revoked when tensions between the West Side Tennis Club and the Forest Hills Garden Corporation (FHGC) escalated. The FHGC had denied the NYPD access to private roads surrounding the venue, a move that led to the city’s decision to pull the permits.

Legal Bureau Inspector William Gallagher informed The Post through a letter that without the tennis club being permitted access to the private roads, the NYPD would be unable to ensure public safety around the venue. This situation left the city with little choice but to revoke the concert permits, affecting the 13 shows already booked for the summer season.

Akiva Shapiro, attorney for the West Side Tennis Club, told The Post that both the stadium owner and operator had not received any official notice from the NYPD in regard to the permits. He questioned the sources of the rumors and stated that the city would risk liability if it abruptly halted the stadium’s activities.

“Neither the Stadium’s owner nor operator have received any communication from the NYPD concerning sound permits, which have always been granted to the Stadium upon request,” Shapiro said. “The NYPD has not raised any concerns with the Stadium directly and the City would risk significant liability if it were to abruptly shut the Stadium down, we can only assume that no such final decision has been made … [We] are demanding answers from the highest levels of the Adams administration.”

Forest Hills Stadium also posted a statement on social media, reaffirming their commitment to the 2025 season and emphasizing that their permitting process is on track. 

“Forest Hills Stadium is moving forward with our 2025 concert schedule as planned and our permitting timeline is on its standard schedule,” they wrote. “As happens every season, the vocal NIMBY minority of Forest Hills Gardens are attempting to roadblock yet another enjoyable season of music.”

This year’s lineup includes major acts such as Bloc Party with Metric, Phish, Alabama Shakes with El Michels Affair and The Black Keys with Gary Clark Jr.