QBP sees ‘racism’ in concert opposition

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards last week suggested on X that some neighbors’ opposition to concerts at Forest Hills Stadium stems from racism.

Amid legal battles with the West Side Tennis Club, which houses the venue, the Forest Hills Gardens Corp. recently denied the city access to the surrounding private streets, effectively blocking the NYPD’s Legal Bureau from granting the necessary permits to hold events there.

The move prompted Richards to write a March 28 letter to Mayor Adams urging the city to reconsider that decision and find a solution that would let the stadium operate as usual, citing a potential loss of revenue and other repercussions for stadium employees, concertgoers, artists and nearby businesses alike.

“To allow a minute number of individuals — representing a small fraction of the local community’s population — to shutter one of New York City’s most iconic and economically vital concert venues, simply by threatening legal action against the City, would be shortsighted and destructive,” he wrote.

But when he shared his views on X, some users, including Jenna Cavuto (@allabouttheyet), questioned the ways in which he is “making sure negotiations occur in good faith” and engaging with the community.

“Just mad black people are in your community for concerts,” Richards replied to her post, adding that opponents “got hyper” after the Rock the Bells hip-hop festival came to the venue. The show debuted at the stadium in August 2022 and returned the following year.

He told Gothamist that the festival’s audience was largely African American and that it was “very apparent” to him that not everyone wants to see the diversity for which Queens is known.

Several replies to the post accused him of “pulling out the race card.” One response from the user @queens_parents said it is not “racist” to want to exercise one’s right to quiet enjoyment of his or her home, adding that “EDM or white frat boy bands” prompt the most complaints from neighbors.

“We don’t respond to racism!!!” Richards added under his post.

The FHGC, which filed its complaint against the stadium in May 2023, told the Chronicle in a statement that its dispute with the venue is not about race and that efforts to frame it as such are “unfortunate and unproductive.” It also clarified that its legal battles are not with the NYPD.

“Our primary concern has always been minimizing harm to the surrounding community,” the group said. “This includes addressing legitimate concerns around noise, crowd and traffic management, sanitation, and access to homes and businesses, among others. These issues must be thoughtfully resolved to ensure a successful concert season.”

It also issued a press release in response to Richards’ letter to the mayor, claiming that his “mere assertions” of the concerts’ economic benefit are “unsupported” and calling for a comprehensive economic impact study on their positive and negative effects.

Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Richards reiterated his sentiment that an “overwhelming majority” of community residents support concerts at the stadium.

“While we acknowledge that a relative handful of residents face real impacts as a result of the concert series, under no circumstance is the answer to hold the wider community’s economic and cultural vitality hostage,” the spokesperson said. “We encourage these individuals to finally come to the table, negotiate in good faith with all parties involved and work with us to uplift Forest Hills and the borough as a whole.”

The FHGC said it has offered professional mediation as a path forward, to which the West Side Tennis Club agreed.

“We look forward to good-faith negotiations to find solutions that respect all stakeholders,” the group said.

Akiva Shapiro of Gibson Dunn, the stadium’s counsel, said previously that the venue is preparing for its 2025 concert season to go on as planned. The first show by rock band Bloc Party is slated for May 31.