ROTHBURY, Mich. -- The Electric Forest Music Festival brings thousands to Rothbury for a four day music event, but not everyone is happy about it.
One resident tells FOX 17 the festival keeps inching closer to her door.
Amy Martell recently found out that the property next door is now in the hands of the Electric Forest Festival. But she didn't find that out from a neighbor, or township, she says that it was a UPS driver who mentioned it in passing.
"Really? We're the last ones to know and we're right next door. We're the ones who have to deal with it firsthand," said homeowner Amy Martell.
Not only are Amy and her husband concerned about the festival's traffic, noise and partying, she's worried about her children's safety.
"You know there's going to be drinking, you know there's going to be drugs, and who knows what else?" Martell said.
Martell says the 15 acre property was sold to the festival's production company, Madison House, though we have yet to confirm that with local township officials.
Either way, Amy says she wishes her neighbors thought about how their property impacts her and her family.
"We thought we were good friends with these people, apparently not, never once did they say anything about selling to them," Martell said.
According to Kohn Dwight, who is with festival management, he and Amy's neighbors agreed this property would best suit the festival and that the production company's main goal is to be a good neighbor to the surrounding community.
But Amy isn't buying it.
"I don't care how much money you have. You can't just come in here and buy up all this property because you like our back yard and the lake," Martell said.
Dwight tells us the property across from Amy's home will be used for V.I.P or "high end" camping, and that there will be 24 hour security and a privacy screen placed on the chain link fence that stands close to Amy's home.
"We do have teenage kids too; they're not naive, but I don't want my kids subjected to it," Martell said.
Amy wants viewers to know that she is not against the Electric Forest Music Festival and that she knows it benefits the community. Her concern is that the festival is expanding from the Double J property and getting closer to her home.
The 5th annual Electric Forest Music Festival is scheduled June 25 through June 28 at the Double J Resort in Rothbury. Over 35,000 people are expected to attend.
