TAMPA - Engineers will re-examine the design of the new Ford Amphitheatre to see what can be done to reduce concert noise reaching nearby neighborhoods.
Officials from the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County toured the amphitheater at the state fairgrounds Thursday to look at the noise-control measures already in place.
"It really is a pretty successful design so far, but it needs to be better," said Jerry Campbell, EPC's director of air management.
Campbell said the amphitheater's engineers are scheduled to revisit the venue before the next concert, the Aug. 18 Projekt Revolution Tour featuring Korn, Linkin Park and Snoop Dogg.
During two recent concerts, the EPC found the amphitheater was producing noise levels more than 10 decibels over the acceptable limit in four nearby neighborhoods.
Campbell said the EPC has not given the amphitheater a deadline to implement corrective measures.
"If it's a matter of turning a speaker, that's something we could probably get done pretty quickly," he said. "If the decision is made to extend the walls, that's something that would probably have to be special ordered and would take longer."
