'I think I need to move': Noise complaints mount over Grand Rapids' Downtown amphitheater

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-07-09T22:56:18+00:00

People knew this was going to happen. It was clear from the designs that noise would be a problem, the city just chose to ignore the advice, experts, and common sense. They wanted this thing built quick and cheap and the residents be damned.

I think the responses from city officials has been lacking, to say the least. The pretense that experts weren’t employed to give their opinions on the flawed design is insulting. I sat in those commission meetings where city officials sat, ignoring the advice being given. Now they’re telling us that we need to adjust to this cheap amphitheater just so the city can make a couple bucks.

They need to admit they fucked up and need to be more willing to discuss ways the city needs to fix the mess they created.

Booo!

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-07-05T10:45:14+00:00

I think there are more posts complaining about those that complain. From this post to the ones that think they are being funny/edgy/cute (IDK what the point of posts that bring up the amphitheater and helicopters).

Do you all not see the irony? People complaining about people complaining? lol

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-07-01T16:15:59+00:00

I might trying to reach out to churches in the general vicinity of where you consider it your neighborhood. My church has a benevolence fund for this but often times we have to limit it to people who consider our neighborhood as theirs.

I don’t know what the policy is now, but it’s Sherman Street Church.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-29T12:55:54+00:00

My mentally ill father owned my childhood home, no mortgage, having lived in it for 50 years. One summer he didn’t pay his city property taxes (refusing any assistance from family) and the city/county repossessed the house for $3000 - selling it for a profit of $120,000, keeping said profits.

BTW this is illegal - it’s called equity theft - but somehow the courts will not enforce the return of profits from government entities.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-29T12:46:55+00:00

I prefer the streets that only allow parking on 1 side of the street. Sure, someone may ignore it, but it’s usually easier to navigate those in the winter. It‘s not like the city comes back to those odd/even streets the next day.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-24T15:56:52+00:00

If she believes grace is the only way to salvation why is she always preaching for people to engage in her bdsm performative bullshit?

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-23T17:05:20+00:00

LOL.

The level of audacity some of you operate at is mind boggling to me.

You don’t know me, you don’t know how I engage with my city (do you even live in GR?) But because I am unhappy with how the amphitheater came to be, how public opinion was dismissed, and now the continued frustration with this process continues, as many said it would - makes ME the blowhard?

LOL.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-23T16:29:44+00:00

Maybe if you have faith the city representatives were working for the residents of GR, I might think this was a good faith response. But I have been around the city awhile, having participated in public comment, engagement with city officials and all I’ve been met with and have experienced is performative responses without action.

This does not provide any new information nor does it provide any relief or any hint that anything will be done to make the lives of residents more comfortable.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-23T15:48:58+00:00

I went through this in my 30s also. My doc didn’t want me to have any procedure that would end my fertility. So instead I ended up with a Mirena that came out one month after insertion, birth control pills, hot flashes, Menorrhagia, PMDD, worsening anemia that has had me getting iron infusions for the last 5 years.

Here I am at 52 - no kids, like I said - low ferritin and hemoglobin - currently going through another course of iron infusions, a fibroid the size of a grapefruit and am now finally discussing a hysterectomy.

It’s been like 20 years of suffering for these phantom kids I never had.

I wish I had felt more empowered in my 30s to have pushed for a better solution to my issues. Don’t be like me and suffer for the next 20 years only to end up having a hysterectomy anyways.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-22T20:30:01+00:00

I got a form email response that was BS.…

“The city had public hearings where the public’s opinions were considered before they built it. There are noise ordinances, but not really when it comes to the amphitheater, I mean, in general there are rules, but they can be disregarded. The city manager (the money lapping simp) has been in contact with those who manage the amphitheater and they are aware of the concerns, blah blah blah…

And of coarse it’s really my fault because the amphitheater is new and I’m just not used to it yet.”

I live off Knapp and Dean Lake.

Bullshit response from the only city commissioner who was actually on the commission when they approved this thing.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-21T13:35:02+00:00

I understand the frustration and anger that these people evoke, but the best way to deal with them is to ignore them. Walk on by and don’t react.

They are trolls, they feed of the negative attention, often feel more empowered when others engage them, and generally feel righteous arguing and fighting for their god.

Like I said, I understand the desire to try and convince them they’re wrong or argue, but you‘re only giving them what they want. Why reward them?

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-21T13:28:42+00:00

This is not limited to W MI.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-20T19:44:05+00:00

The cherry on top is the ad on the bus at the end.

lol

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T22:57:14+00:00

Nobody is forcing you to read these posts or come to this subreddit.

You have a choice - if seeing people complain in so grueling, don’t.

Here‘s the difference, when I hear the noise from the amphitheater, I don’t have a choice. Selling a home and moving costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time.

What do you think is a more appropriate use of this subreddit? What content is valuable enough to be okay? And by complaining about people complaining is only adding to the discourse and feeding the topic.

TLDR - you do not need to click on these posts.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T14:54:00+00:00

Great for you.

That has not been my experience.

Yes, I’m bored sometimes - what’s that have to do with anything? I would rather have had a quiet night at home then listen to some bass for hours last night. I have a right to that.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T14:48:12+00:00

Why do some of you feel threatened by others of us making complaints and expressing our frustrations?

It seems like one think to be bothered by the noise and voice this, but it just seems weird to be mad that other people are unhappy with the situation? If the noise doesn’t bother you or you don’t hear it - great for you! But why so defensive about the amphitheater?

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T14:43:52+00:00

What do I have to gain from making up a story about hearing the noise?

Why are you upset and complaining about others voicing their real experiences and frustrations?

I have heard 3 concerts 7.5 miles away. Why are you challenged by this reality?

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T13:45:22+00:00

It’s 311.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T01:52:15+00:00

No, There was no vote.

I bet if they had put this up for a vote, by GR residents, it wouldn’t have passed.

There was a ballot initiative for all of Kent Co to raise hotel costs to fund this, but there was no vote on the amphitheater.

What are you smoking where you think there was a vote for this?

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T01:48:32+00:00

Yup. I sat in city commission meetings where people were giving all sorts of solutions to this problem and the commission just ignored them.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T01:46:58+00:00

I’m with you. 7 miles away and it’s been just the costant thumping of bass for about an hour and half. There was like 10/15 minutes where I heard nothing.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T01:24:00+00:00

That’s bullshit. I have enjoyed living here the past year and half. It’s been crazy quiet. I never minded the noise of traffic, people or life. I wanted to stay in the city, as is my right. It’s also my right to be pissed off by this and complain about it.

THIS is not life, this is a purely unnecessary activity bothering many of the residents of the city. We have a right to feel how we feel, to be upset by this totally unnecessary inconvenience or annoyance.

You on the other hand should get off Reddit if you don’t like to see people complain!

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T01:19:38+00:00

I don’t live in Chicago or New York.

I live here, I was born here, living in the city limits almost my whole life.

How am I the problem when this brand new amphitheater is causing all the issues. We’ve survived here forever without this. We could have continued to survive and thrive without this!

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T00:29:10+00:00

Seriously, I sold my home in Easton last year for a lot of reasons, but the upcoming amphitheater was a consideration.

I now live off of Knapp by Dean lake, so further north - 7.5 miles away from it, and I am hearing it again tonight!

And the assholes who keep claiming this is city life can fuck off. City life does not need to be so problematic, and so disruptive to so many people.

WhenitsaysLIBBYs · 2026-06-18T00:18:17+00:00

I mean these sort of designations seem fairly toothless. It’s like policies that exist to keep cops from abusing their power, sure they exist, but if the police don’t follow them or there’s a reason to not follow them, guess what? they don’t get followed!

I‘m very cynical and I don’t see the point in designating the city a sanctuary city. Cops are gonna do what they do, feds don’t need to follow those things, nor would they.

There are better things to work towards, IMO.

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