Forest Hills divided over stadium concerts

Last year’s sold-out Mumford & Sons concert at the iconic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium may have been declared an impressive success by elected officials and community leaders, but some area residents hope the curtain comes down on any future shows.

At a town hall meeting on Tuesday night, West Side Tennis Club President Roland Meier and promotion company Madison House Presents President Mike Luba heard both complaints and compliments on their respective handlings of the Mumford & Sons concert and the future shows planned for this summer and beyond.

After a quick presentation by Meier about the history of the stadium, Austin Street business owner Alex Tola was one of the many people at Our Lady of Mercy in Forest Hills to emphatically speak up against the neighborhood icon, once again turning into a concert hall.

“I can’t tell you what torture it was that day, getting back and forth,” Tola said to the crowd of around 70 people. “What’s in it for us?”

Tola, a resident of Exeter Street in Forest Hills for the last two years, defended his stance against concerts being held at the venue by claiming the shows booked by Madison House Presents will bring disruptive noise and open drug use by spectators to the immediate area.

Read the full article here.