Some Fort Washington, Maryland, residents who live near National Harbor say the venue's outdoor concerts are getting out of hand with hours of loud music and foul language.
National Harbor’s Southpointe abuts their neighborhood. Once home to the Air Force 1 tour, it now hosts outdoor concerts that can be heard from blocks away.
“The noise comes right up the hill,” John Oldenburg said. “It invades our homes. The windows in my home shake.”
He said he’s lived there for 43 years.
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“This was all wooded when I first moved here,” he said.
“It's extremely bothering and disturbing and angering that I should be inside my house with the windows closed and I'm hearing announcements,” said James Yesinowski, who lives up the street and around the corner from National Harbor’s fence line.
“Loud, distorted noise, which is basically torture because some of these festivals last all day long into the night at 11 p.m. and then start again the next day and go on until 11 p.m.,” Joyce Thorpe said.
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The residents have a petition after meetings with National Harbor didn't change the problem.
“We talked to the senior manager at National Harbor, and he promised he would turn the speakers around,” Oldenburg said. “He also said, you know, when we turn them around the people in Alexandria complain. You can see Alexandria's a good distance away; it's across the river. If they’re complaining, I think we have a pretty valid complaint.”
Residents said they are going to send their petition to the Prince George’s County Council, hoping it will get involved, meet with National Harbor and come up with a solution.
National Harbor released a statement to News4 that said: “National Harbor has a reputation of bringing positive and uplifting events and festivals to the area for the community to enjoy. The destination evaluates all events to ensure that they meet the standards and expectations that have been set. Therefore, all events go through the proper county permitting process. National Harbor values its relationships with its neighbors and will continue to consider community concerns.”
