New York’s Most Epic Outdoor Concert Venue Turns 100

This year, Forest Hills Stadium in Queens celebrates its 100th year. Originally the centerpiece of the West Side Tennis Club and home to the US Open Tennis Championships — and for many years a deteriorating ruin — since 2013 it’s been one of the city’s most breathtaking (and quintessentially summery) concert venues.

The 13,000-seat stadium itself is an architectural wonder, a concrete and steel behemoth (it was the first concrete tennis stadium in the U.S.) with blue and gold glazed terra-cotta shields bearing the WSTC logo, and an impressive array of archways, eagles, shields, flagpoles, and other details. (Architect Kenneth M. Murchison also designed Penn Station in Baltimore and the Hoboken Terminal.)

It’s remarkable that it still exists, considering the fate of other historic New York stadiums.

With the summer season just kicking off — with concerts by Maggie Rogers, Duran Duran, Weezer, and The Strokes, among others, on the way — Forest Hills Stadium President Mike Luba spoke with Forbes.

Mike, how would you sum up what makes Forest Hills unique as a place to catch a show in New York City?

Forest Hills Stadium is the last of the first generation buildings left in NYC. MSG is on its fourth version, Shea Stadium is now Citi Field, Ebbets Field is gone, the Polo Grounds are gone. Forest Hills Stadium is still the same building in the same exact spot that it’s been for a full century.

On a nice night in NYC, there is no better place anywhere in the world to see a show.

You’ve described the experience of entering Forest Hills for a show as being like suddenly finding yourself in 1800s Europe?

Forest Hills Stadium is located in Forest Hills Gardens which was the first masterplanned neighborhood in America. It was based on an idealized version of what suburbia would be like at the turn of the century and coming out of the industrial revolution. The amazing thing is that there is a Long Island Railroad bridge that one one side is full-blown Queens, which is the most most diverse place on the planet. When you cross under the bridge you suddenly feel like you are in an old European village. It’s really cool and very odd.

What’s your personal favorite moment you’ve experienced at Forest Hills Stadium?

I truly loved it when Dolly Parton played Forest Hills. Everything about it was epic. The crowd, the band, and of course Dolly herself.

What about a favorite moment of Forest Hills Stadium history from before your time?

I would have loved to have been here when Althea Gibson broke the color barrier for all of professional sports. I would have loved to have been here when Arthur Ashe won the first ever US Open in 1968. I would have loved to have been here when Alfred Hitchcock was filming “Strangers on a Train” or when Wes Anderson was filming “The Royal Tenenbaums.” I also really would have loved to have seen Bob Dylan with The Band as his band. So many epic shows happened here in the 60s and 70s. We are doing our best to keep the dream alive.