Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Tour Pays $100,000 to Keep Washington-Area Subway Stations Open during Rain Delay

Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” tour paid $100,000 to keep all 98 Washington-area subway stations open for an extra hour after Sunday’s concert at FedExField was delayed by heavy rain and lightning. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority confirmed this in a press release. The additional hour of subway service was necessary due to inclement weather that could have delayed the start of the concert. The stadium initially issued a shelter-in-place order, citing lightning strikes in the area, but later allowed the show to continue. The delay left concert attendees sweltering in hot and humid conditions as they waited for updates. The shelter-in-place order was finally lifted after a two-hour wait, during which several people suffered from heat exhaustion and one person was hospitalized. The situation inside the stadium was described as confusing and chaotic, with no clear plan communicated to the crowd. The rain in the area lasted from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the heaviest downpours occurring between 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. The concert experience, although memorable, was marred by the chaotic weather conditions. Meanwhile, over 120 million people in the eastern US are at risk of severe thunderstorms on Monday, while heat waves continue to break records in the South.