Mike Zimmerman, the developer of the Rock sports and entertainment complex in Franklin, is blaming “emotional” Milwaukee County Supervisors for “legal threats” relating to noise concerns and warned that any legal action against his facility “would be very expensive for them and taxpayers.”
The supervisors who made the comments are Patti Logsdon, Deanna Alexander, and Kathleen Vincent.
We asked Zimmerman for comment after several Milwaukee County Supervisors said they want to write resolutions urging legal action against the Rock and/or consider rescinding the Rock’s development agreement because they say long-standing noise problems have not been addressed for years. People who live in the residential neighborhoods around the Rock told County supervisors and Wisconsin Right Now that the noise from the Rock is destroying their quality of life.
A new sound study found a host of concerns, accusing the Rock of having inoperable sound monitors and positioning a speaker to broadcast toward a residential neighborhood.
“I haven’t heard about these legal threats by County Supervisors but I’ll inform my legal counsel to look into,” Zimmerman responded. “On the surface, it would appear frivolous, emotional and out of the jurisdiction they have – and it would be very expensive for them and tax payers I imagine, especially if they lose.”
His comments come as neighbors complained that a Taco and Tequila event at the Rock this weekend caused disruptive noise.
Neighbor's video from her porch captures the noise from the Rock in #Franklin last night due to the taco and tequila event. Would you want to listen to this all night while sitting at home? Keep in mind there are events approx 130 days a year pic.twitter.com/lgzB0RItpC
— Wisconsin Right Now (@wisconsin_now) September 17, 2023
Zimmerman continued:
“Having said that, I’ve been consistent on this and it’s well documented. First off, we’ve done a lot to combat sound and light. Second, we offered to address this with more rigor over 2.5 (or so) years ago. The powers that be declined the proposal sponsored by the then mayor and instead opted to pursue a County financed/managed Sound Study. As I’ve said over and over, once the Sound Study makes its way through the County process we will respond. County Supervisors have continued to delay, table and drag this out so many of the frustrations that neighbors or they (County) have related to a solution can be attributed to their process in my opinion.”
He referred WRN to a YouTube video, writing, “Last interview on the topic was here (2:34 mark).”
We have requested a sit-down interview with Zimmerman.
