A new $90 million luxury amphitheater in Colorado Springs has been accused of extreme noise pollution by local residents, who complain they “could hear every word of the concert” up to three miles away.
The 8,000-capacity Ford Amphitheatre opened with a bang on August 9, hosting chart-topping headliners OneRepublic for three nights.
But while fans enjoyed the spectacle inside, nearby residents were losing sleep as they were bombarded by noise throughout the night.
By August 14, officials had received about 170 noise reports, Denver Post Following concerts the following weekend featuring The Beach Boys, Walker Hayes and Iration and Pepper, 400 more complaints came in.
There have already been more than 650 noise complaints flooding into city officials since its opening.
A new $90 million luxury amphitheater in Colorado Springs has been accused of extreme noise pollution by local residents, who complain they “could hear every word of the concert” from three miles away.
The venue’s owner, JW Roth (pictured), has insisted they are following the rules.
Hundreds more complaints have emerged on social media platforms like Nextdoor and Reddit. Some angry residents are taking their grievances directly to City Hall.
One neighbor, Chris Francis, a disabled veteran who lives less than a mile from the scene, said he initially thought there was gunfire outside. Now, he is considering moving because of the disruption it has caused in his life.
He said KOAA News: “It was pretty intense, it was like being in the front row, we could hear the lyrics pretty clearly, (and) the drums. At first, I thought there were gunshots outside the house and I became alert.
The situation has become so unbearable that Francis is considering moving, saying he “no longer sees a future in the neighborhood.”
“I’m a resident of Northgate. I was able to hear (OneRepublic) play last night. I live 2.8 miles from the amphitheater, but I could hear every word of their latest song very clearly,” another disgruntled resident wrote on Reddit.
The site has also caused congestion and traffic, they explained.
‘They build a high-end place with fire pits, luxury seating and added traffic congestion, but they don’t give a second thought to the residents who have to hear it.’
Councilwoman Nancy Henjum said, “We have to do something.”
“I am very concerned about the complaints we are receiving,” she told the Gazette.
The 8,000-seat amphitheater was approved by the City Council in a controversial 8-1 vote last January.
Now, there have been more than 650 noise complaints flooding into city officials since its opening.
VENU, the entertainment company behind the project, has promised a luxury venue to rival Denver’s famed Red Rocks.
But now a lawsuit has been filed alleging the amphitheater violates state noise pollution laws, with an appeal pending.
Meanwhile, City Hall is set to discuss the future of the site next week and Mayor Yemi Mobolade’s team is preparing to answer questions.
“I know that I and other council members want to address this issue of music venue and volume,” Council President Randy Helms told the Gazette.
But the venue’s owner, JW Roth, has insisted they are playing by the rules.
“I’m not dismissing people’s concerns at all,” Roth told the Denver Post. “But when we made the decision to build it and started the process with the city, about 50 residents hated the idea of it being there. So I’m guessing those same 50 people put the opening date on their calendar and circled it so they could call and complain about the noise.”
“We’ve been recording over 80,000 positive online impressions over the past two weeks, so it’s frustrating that this is so uneven,” he added. “Personally, I’ve only heard praise.”
Roth released the results of sound tests by LSTN Consultants showing the venue is within the permitted noise limits: a whopping 110 decibels.
That’s as loud as a jet engine, according to health experts.
The 8,000-seat amphitheater was approved by the City Council in a controversial 8-1 vote last January.
Hundreds more complaints have emerged on social media platforms like Nextdoor and Reddit. Some angry residents are taking their grievances directly to City Hall.
“We’re constantly fine-tuning our systems, but we’ve literally been open for two weeks, so we’re just now learning the best way to do some things,” he continued.
He says people will get used to the sound once it becomes “part of the ambient noise we already hear every day.”
“But I have no right to say ‘Oops, sorry about that!’ I have to make sure that we are reducing the effects of our (concerts) as best we can. And while I want to emphasize that I take this seriously, I also think that we simply need time to become part of the ambient noise that we already hear every day, because then people will notice it less.”
Ford Amphitheatre owners Venu issued a statement saying they monitored the sound throughout the weekend and were 100 percent “in line” with their commitments to the City of Colorado Springs.
“All of our mitigation tactics are working properly. We will report this information to the city as they have requested and have committed to doing in our PUD,” they wrote.
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