City and Venu release joint statement following Ford Amphitheater meeting

Leaders from the City of Colorado Springs and Venu, formerly Notes Live, held a productive meeting Wednesday, August 28 to discuss Ford Amphitheater, valuable neighborhood feedback, insights from third-party measurements taken in neighborhoods, and opportunities for enhanced solutions. Among the meeting attendees were Mayor Yemi Mobolade; City Council President Randy Helms; J.W. Roth, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Venu; and Bob Mudd, President and Chief Operating Officer of Venu.

Below is a joint statement from both entities and key takeaways from the meeting.

"Together, we are committed to addressing the experience of residents who have shared concerns about Ford Amphitheater. Sound reporting and all mitigation requirements following the first three weeks of operation have been confirmed to be in compliance with commitments. Nevertheless, we all recognize the need to try alternative mitigation strategies to address noise. Today we identified short and long-term strategies that aim to reduce unintentional impact on our community. We ask for the community's patience and grace as additional research is conducted and these actions are developed and applied."

Below are the key takeaways and action items from this meeting:

1. Commitment to no fireworks
   1. Venu has committed to no fireworks, except for the possibility of Independence Day (July 4).
2. Increase depth of existing eastern sound wall
   1. Venu is in the process of increasing the existing sound wall from 24 inches to 50 feet in depth on the eastern perimeter of the Ford Amphitheater. The intention of this effort is to reduce the decibel level outside the amphitheater. This project is underway and will be in place for the full 2025 season.
   2. The existing sound wall exceeds the Plan Unit Development (PUD) requirement of 28 feet tall, with a height ranging from 28 to 50 feet.
3. Enhance sound containment measures
   1. Venu has committed to reviewing performance data with their team of acousticians and production companies to explore how potential reconfiguration measures, such as adjusting positioning of speakers, may further reduce sound transmission outside of the amphitheater.
   2. A timeline for potential measures will be shared as data is gathered and strategies are developed.
4. Physical mitigation
   1. Venu will be working on the possibility and effectiveness of additional physical mitigation, pending the results of sound containment research.

This meeting is just a starting place. The group is committed to meeting again, reviewing additional data and continuing this work.