A plush new $90 million amphitheater in Colorado Springs has been accused of extreme noise pollution by locals who complain they 'could hear every word to concert' up to three miles away.
The 8,000-seat Ford Amphitheater opened with a bang on August 9, hosting chart-toppers OneRepublic for three nights.
But while fans inside were enjoying the show, nearby residents were losing sleep as they were bombarded by noise all night long.
By August 14, officials had received around 170 noise reports, the Denver Post reported.After the next weekend's concerts featuring The Beach Boys, Walker Hayes, and Iration and Pepper, a staggering 400 more complaints rolled in.
Now, there has been over 650 noise complaints flooding city officials since its opening.
A plush new $90 million amphitheater in Colorado Springs has been accused of extreme noise pollution by locals who complain they 'could hear every word to concert' up to three miles away
Venue owner JW Roth (pictured) has insisted they're playing by the rules
Hundreds more complaints have erupted on social media platforms like Nextdoor and Reddit. Some furious residents are taking their complaints straight to the City Council.
One local, Chris Francis, a disabled veteran living less than a mile from the venue, said he thought there was gunfire outside initially. Now, he's considering moving due to the disturbance it's caused in his life.
He told KOAA News, 'It was quite intense, it was like having a front-row seat, we could hear the lyrics quite clear, [and] the drums. Initially, I thought there was gunfire outside the house and I went on alert.
The situation has become so unbearable that Francis is considering relocating, saying he can 'no longer see a future in the neighborhood anymore.'
'I'm a Northgate resident. I just got to hear (OneRepublic) play last night. I live 2.8 miles away from the amphitheater, but I could hear every word of their last song very clearly,' another disgruntled neighbor wrote on Reddit.
The venue has also caused congestion and traffic, they explained.
'They build a high-end venue with fire pits, luxury seating, and the added traffic congestion, but don't give a second thought to the residents that have to hear it.'
Councilwoman Nancy Henjum said 'we need to do something.'
'I'm very concerned about the complaints that we're getting,' she told the Gazette.
The 8,000-seat amphitheater, was approved by the City Council in a contentious 8-1 vote last January.
Now, there has been over 650 noise complaints flooding city officials since its opening
VENU, the entertainment company behind the project, promised a luxury venue to rival Denver's famous Red Rocks.
But now a lawsuit alleging the amphitheater violates state noise pollution laws was filed with an appeal pending.
Meanwhile, the City Council is set to discuss the future of the venue next week with Mayor Yemi Mobolade's team preparing to answer questions.
'I know that me and fellow council members want to address this issue of the venue and the loudness of the music,' City Council President Randy Helms told the Gazette.
But venue owner JW Roth has insisted they're playing by the rules.
'I am in no way dismissive of people's concerns,' Roth told the Denver Post. 'But when we made the decision to build this and started the process with the city, 50 or so 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 in and complain about the noise.'
'We've been tracking more than 80,000 positive impressions online from the past two weeks, so it's frustrating to have this be so lopsided,' he added. 'I've personally heard nothing but raves.'
Roth released sound test results from LSTN Consultants showing the venue is within its 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 contentious 8-1 vote last January
Hundreds more complaints have erupted on social media platforms like Nextdoor and Reddit. Some furious residents are taking their complaints straight to the City Council
'We're constantly fine-tuning our systems but we've been open for literally two weeks, so we're just now learning the best way to do some things,' he continued.
He claims that people will get used to the sound once it becomes 'part of the ambient nose you already hear every day.'
'But I don't get to say, 'Oops, sorry about that!' I have to make sure we're reducing the effects of our (concerts) as best we can. And while I want to emphasize that I do take these seriously, I also think we just need time to become part of the ambient noise you already hear every day, because then people will notice it less.'
The owners of Ford Amphitheater, Venu, issued a statement claiming they monitored sound all weekend and were 100 percent 'in line' with their commitments to the City of Colorado Springs.
'All our mitigation tactics are operating and working properly. We will report this information to the City as they have requested, and we committed to in our PUD,' they wrote.
