Garth Brooks is getting set to take over downtown Edmonton with the first of nine shows at Rogers Place on Friday night.
The concerts will bring thousands of people into the city’s core, particularly on days where there are two shows.
READ MORE: 9th Garth Brooks show added for Edmonton stop
There are a few things fans going to Brooks’ shows need to know before heading downtown.
Transit service
The city will have the LRT system running at full peak service for most of the concert days. That means trains on the Capital Line will be running every five to seven minutes while trains on the Metro Line will run in 15-minute intervals. The closest stations to the arena are MacEwan and Bay/Enterprise Square.
Directions to Rogers Place have been posted in LRT stations downtown to ensure those who don’t normally use the system will know where they are going. There are also a number of bus routes that will bring concert-goers downtown. The city is urging those who don’t normally use the Edmonton Transit Service to visit takeETS.com to plan their trip.
READ MORE: Edmonton warns crackdown coming on illegal parking near Rogers Place
ETS is also encouraging people to share their tricks for most effectively getting around in the downtown by using #yegdtHacks.
Getting in and out of Rogers Place
Brooks’ residency will actually see three days on which the singer will play multiple shows. Feb. 18, 19 and 25 all have 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. concerts, meaning thousands of people will be filing out of Rogers Place at the same time as many people will be waiting to get inside.
“Egressing, cleaning, restocking in 45 minutes – it’s not something we’ve done before,” said Sheena Way, the assistant general manager of Live Entertainment with Rogers Place.
READ MORE: 9th Garth Brooks show added for Edmonton stop
To manage that crowd, those leaving the show will not be allowed to exit through Ford Hall.
“After 3 p.m., you can’t leave this way,” Way said.
“That’s because they’re expecting the fans for the nighttime show to already be lined up here.”
Instead, fans will have to leave through the street level exits. Fans will be allowed into Ford Hall once fans from the previous concert have exited and they’ll still be able to buy drinks in the space once they’re in.
Doors will be open 90 minutes before the concert for every first show of the day.
WATCH: Global Edmonton’s Mike Sobel and a slew of local celebrities welcome Garth Brooks
Credit card entry
Rogers Place is using Brooks’ concert to use its credit card entry technology for the first time.
Arena officials say if your ticket says you have credit card entry, you must have your credit card when you come in.
Here is the policy, from the Rogers Place website.
“Guests who have purchased Credit Card Entry tickets must ensure their entire party enters Rogers Place at the same time. Upon entering the arena, proceed to the specified entry gates in Ford Hall where the card owner will be required to present the card used to purchase the tickets. The credit card will be swiped by a ticket taker and passes with your section and seat number(s) will be printed. You must enter the venue immediately after.”
“You buy a ticket on the credit card and you show up at the doors and you swipe that card and in you come,” Way explained. “So if I bought tickets for you, I can just show up at the door or I can give you my credit card and swipe and the guest can come in.”
Way also said it’s important to remember concert-goers that have credit card entry cannot transfer tickets.
Rogers Place said less than 15 per cent of the tickets sold for each show were purchased using Credit Card Entry.
Rogers Place has a “Garth Guide” on its website to make sure fans are armed with all the information they need before going to the arena.
Watch below: Garth Brooks is getting set to take over downtown Edmonton with the first of nine shows at Rogers Place on Friday night so some Edmontonians, including a few Global News personalities, decided to welcome the country star to town in their own way.
-With files from Kent Morrison.