Neighbors allege years of noise complaints at Franklin complex are ignored, ahead of $200K sound study results Wednesday

 

FRANKLIN, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Disruptive, disturbing, and intrusive. 

That's how several neighbors who live outside of The Rock sports and entertainment complex in Franklin describe the past decade, coinciding with when the attraction was developed.

"You can't use your property the way it was intended," said resident Dana Gindt, who has lived in the area for 22 years. 

Gindt was joined by others on Saturday afternoon, who agreed that The Rock was and had been overstepping its noise boundaries for years.

According to The Rock's website, more than 125,000 people visit the complex each year for events, live music, and games.

And while neighbors say they want the business to succeed, they don't think it should be at their expense.

“The Rock came in and it took away the quality of my life completely," said resident Dale Kirner, who has lived in the area for 25 years. “We speak, we speak the truth. All we want is the same quality of life that other Franklin residents have.”

Now they're not asking for the complex to close or even shut down, rather they just want a compromise. 

One of their main concerns? Speakers that are pointed out toward the parking lot and surrounding neighborhoods, rather than into the stadium itself.

“We’ve been asking to turn their speakers in to where people are sitting," Gindt told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White. "They pay to come to the events; they should listen to it that way."

Another resident, Donnella McAdams, who has lived in the area for 14 years, said she wants The Rock to "be a good neighbor."

“The speaker that faces our neighborhood, just turn it around and let’s start there. Let’s see how that does," McAdams said.

McAdams and Gindt, who live nearly a mile and a half-mile away from the stadium respectively, have dozens of audio recordings from both inside and outside of their homes of announcers' voices and music that blasts from the complex. 

"The children can't sleep," Gindt said. 

All said if they had wanted to live by a stadium, they would've moved by one.

“I’ve filed complaints with the city, the city has never responded to me once," Kirner said. 

According to the group, hundreds of meetings have been attended with neighbors speaking at the Village of Greendale, City of Franklin, and Milwaukee County. 

This, on top of "thousands" of complaints that have been sent in.

“It’s very concerning that people constantly keep coming to these meetings and no one comes forward and says, oh, these are some things we can do to mitigate the noise," Gindt said. 

Another possible solution, neighbors proposed, is turning down the speakers' volumes.

Gindt said a Milwaukee County noise mitigation plan from 2017 includes a noise abatement boundary line on the edge of the property.

When CBS 58 went to stand on that boundary line while an event played on Saturday, the noise was evident and could clearly be heard throughout the area.

“I’m not saying I do not want the businesses in our area to succeed. I’m all for a business, but then again, the well-being of the constituents in my district means a lot," said District 9 Supervisor Patti Logsdon, who became emotional when asked about the ongoing situation. "Water pollution is number one, noise pollution is number two."

On Wednesday, Sept. 13, Logsdon will present the findings of a $200,000 dollar and 240-page sound study that was previously authorized by Milwaukee County, to see if the residents' claims are valid.

But some are still concerned. 

“The developer would not let the sound study, RSG is the company, on their land to do this," Logsdon said. “And if you can’t be on the land, how can you do a good sound study?”

Logsdon added that officials have spoken with a similar facility in Oconomowoc, who she said have "special monitors" that can "regulate the speakers so they can't go over the limit."

"They have the speakers turned in certain ways so that it doesn't affect the neighbors," Logsdon continued. “I just want them to work. To work with us. To make the neighbors happy so they don’t have to live like this.”

The meeting will be held just three days before a rap concert is scheduled for Saturday night.

CBS 58 has reached out to The Rock and was told to potentially expect a statement from the owner on the noise complaints later in the week. 

Stay tuned for updates.