PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Although Providence Park officials said they “successfully hosted a sold-out show” with Post Malone and Jelly Roll, they did apologize for “significant delays” in getting thousands of fans into the venue even as the concert began.
Nearly 32,000 fans filled Providence Park for the summer concert “without a single arrest or major incident,” the Portland police said Sunday, and deemed the event “a resounding public safety success.”
But the problems getting fans into the stadium began just after the gates opened at 5:30 p.m. No clear lines formed. Many said they were upset with the lack of park staff directing the crowd.
Around 7:30 p.m., security began waving people into the venue without checking bags and purses. Two employees confirmed they were told to stop checking to get people in faster.
The lines were cleared just before 8 p.m.
Many fans told they were not just frustrated missing part of the show but they witnessed medical emergencies in the crowd.
Harold and Cindy Priest of Tri-Cities, Washington said the line was “just not right. My daughter, who’s pregnant, just fainted and had to go home.”
Those who spoke with KOIN 6 News on Monday said the experience spoiled returning to Providence Park in the future.
Concert goer Tracie Hayes, who said she “had high anxiety just being in the crowd of people,” said her anxiety increased when security decided to no longer check bags of those coming into the stadium.
“It heightened that anxiety. By the time we got in there, I was really just like, ‘I don’t know if this is a good decision,'” Hayes said. “I will never step into Providence Park again after this. I don’t care if it’s a soccer game. They will not see my business again.”
Providence Park officials declined to comment on the decision to not check bags in order to speed up the entry process. But they did issue this statement to KOIN 6 News:
“Providence Park on Saturday successfully hosted a sold-out show of more than 31,000 people, one of the largest event crowds to assemble in downtown Portland over the past 50 years. Out-of-town concert goers provided significant economic impact on downtown hotels, restaurants and bars. As reported by the Portland Police Bureau, the concert was ‘a resounding public safety success,’ though entry to the venue experienced significant delays. We apologize for the inconvenience, and we will work to improve on it for future shows.”
