Over 140 complaints filed after Ford Amphitheater grand opening, neighbors react to sound levels

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Following a packed weekend at the brand new Ford Amphitheater with hometown act OneRepublic performing three different shows, residents who live nearby to the new venue explain varied experiences dealing with noise levels, all from within the same neighborhood.

The City of Colorado Springs confirmed they received 144 noise complaints starting on August 8, 2024, leading into the grand opening weekend at Ford Amphitheater, which brought in upwards of 24,000 fans.

Despite the number of complaints, venue ownership says they're following their agreement for noise levels with the City of Colorado Springs. Meanwhile homeowners who live nearby, explain to KRDO13 they had varying experiences with the sound from the venue, traveling into their homes.

Homeowners like Matt Schovel, who lives just a mile from the Amphitheater said he initially prepared for the worst.

"What we were expecting, especially on Friday night, was for it to be loud." explained the 24-year resident of his home, which backs up to North Gate Boulevard.

However, Schovel says he was left pleasantly surprised.

"On Saturday night, I intentionally sat outside because I wanted to hear the music, and [then] we didn't."

Meanwhile, a family living just 10 houses away from Schovel, also with their backyard to North Gate Boulevard, had quite the opposite experience.

"We could hear the music through our windows, with the windows shut, we could hear it through the house and with fans on while trying to go to bed. It was really pretty loud." said Genesis, who explained the sound check that happened on Thursday was the worst of the weekend days, but that Saturday the sound level was loud once again.

Others, like Dan Van Buren who lives just a block up from Genesis and Schovel conceded that it did get rather loud at points during the weekend, but he felt that while inside his home the sound was suppressed a good deal, and that he noticed changes in the volume through the weekend.

"Overall, I think they've  they've done a fairly good job in trying to control  the sound mitigation. I think there's there's probably some, maybe gaps, in their sound wall that is allowing, you know, sound to come through." said Van Buren.

He adds that he would ideally like to have silence in his neighborhood, and in the event of any weekday concerts, he would like his kids to be able to get to sleep as school begins this month, however he says that he understands what the venue brings to the City of Colorado Springs, and that not everyone can be appeased.

All three of the residents KRDO13 spoke to on Monday, say that they all agree their feedback, as well as the dozens who submitted noise complaints, should be listened to by concert promoters and the City.

"That might be a compromise that wouldn't impact them as a business and at the same time also benefit the community." explained Van Buren.

Venue ownership responded to KRDO13 in regards to residents noise level concerns, saying:

“After monitoring sound all weekend, we were 100% in line with our commitments made in the PUD with 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.”

Chloe Hoft, Vice President of Marketing, VENU Inc.