Beyoncé Renaissance tour: Singer paid $100k to keep train stations running overtime so fans could get home

American singer Beyoncé once again showed her larger-than-life personality when her Renaissance tour footed the bills for all 98 Metro stations in the Washington, DC, area to operate for an extra hour to curtail the possibility of the patrons getting stranded.

Poor weather conditions and subsequent delays in starting the Renaissance World Tour at FedExField changed the closing time of the show. Renaissance Tour paid $100,000 to cover the additional hour the trains will be running and keep them around for all the customers to embark on their various destinations, according to CNN.

“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 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said in a statement.

A delay in a concert led to a sense of chaos and uneasiness for fans at the stadium. The event also issued a shelter-in-place order due to lightning in the area, prompting fans outside the gates and parking lots to return to their cars, while those inside the stadium were directed to find shelter under covered areas.

The order lasted nearly two hours, during which some attendees suffered from heat exhaustion and one person required hospitalization. The situation inside the venue was quite apprehensive for many due to the rain, lightning, and heat.

Many of the fans expressed the disarray and uncertainty that prevailed among the crowd. Despite the challenging experience, the concert itself was enjoyable, though tinged with unease. The rain and lightning caused disruptions in the concert’s schedule, with the heaviest rainfall occurring later in the evening.

The stadium announced that an extra hour would be added to the concert to accommodate operational costs and ensure the safety of attendees, covering expenses such as running additional trains, keeping all stations open for customer exits, and other related expenses.