Beyonce shells out $100,000 to extend D.C. public transport after weather delays at concert

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WISH) — Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” tour paid $100,000 to keep all 98 Metro stations in the Washington, D.C., area open for an extra hour Sunday after inclement weather delayed the show.

The show at the outdoor FedExField venue was delayed for two hours because of heavy rain and lightning, meaning the last train would have left before the show would close.

But Beyoncé wouldn’t let that happen.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said in a release, “Due to inclement weather that may delay the start of tonight’s Renaissance World Tour at FedExField, Metro will extend the last train by an extra hour beyond the extended closing previously announced. The additional hour will be funded by the Tour to cover the $100,000 cost to run more trains, keep all 98 stations open for customers to exit, and other operational expenses.”

Though many fans could rest easy not worrying about transportation, the scene inside the stadium was “chaotic.”

The stadium issued a shelter-in-place notice due to lightning in the area before giving fans the all-clear and allowing the show to go on. The delay left fans in hot and humid conditions as they waited for word on what was happening.

“The situation inside the stadium was confusing and chaotic,” said CNN’s Abby Phillip, who was among the fans packing the venue.

“It was very uncomfortable … I mean it was pouring rain for a while and there was lightning in the air, so they didn’t want to let to let anyone in and obviously the concert wasn’t going to start, but it was really chaotic and I think that was kind of the experience that I and so many other people had … the chaos and the crowd and the rain and the heat,” Phillip said.

“It was one of those moments where it was a great concert, but that experience was a little bit scary,” Phillip added. “No one seemed to really know what the plan should be.”