PORTLAND, Oregon — After the Rose Quarter said on its website earlier in the day that events on Saturday would go on as scheduled, despite Multnomah County's state of emergency brought on by a severe winter storm, it announced around 5 p.m. that one of two shows featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler had been postponed.
An arctic blast hit the Portland metro area Saturday with snow, sleet, freezing rain, high winds and extreme cold. The storm led to multiple deaths and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people in the greater Portland area.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are on their Restless Leg Tour. Earlier Saturday, the Rose Quarter website listed two shows at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. It appears the 3:30 p.m. show went on as planned, but at 5:12 p.m., the Moda Center announced that the 7:30 p.m. show had been postponed.
"A new date will be announced to ticket holders as soon as available. All previously purchased tickets for the 7:30 PM show will be honored for the rescheduled date," the venue said in a tweet. "Refunds will be available for those unable to attend once new date is announced."
Earlier Saturday, the Rose Quarter advised event goers to arrive early for "smooth parking and entry," and said parking in garages and nearby neighborhoods would be limited because of dual events and winter weather conditions.
"We strongly encourage you to consider carpooling, utilizing TriMet, or opting for ride-share services," the Rose Quarter's website said. "Give yourself extra time for your commute and, most importantly, have a safe and enjoyable time at the show!"
The Portland Winterhawks were scheduled to take on the Seattle Thunderbirds at 6 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The hockey team initially said on its Facebook page that tonight's game would be played as scheduled, but they'd monitor the weather and provide an update if conditions worsen. Fans with paid tickets who were unable to attend the game would have those tickets honored at the game on Feb. 2, the Winterhawks said.
Around 3:45 p.m., the team said in a tweet that it would cancel the game.
"Due to the fact that both teams and game officials are unable to make it to the VMC by game time, tonight’s contest has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date," the Winterhawks said. "Safety of fans and teams alike is of utmost importance to us, and we apologize for the inconvenience."
The Winterhawks said Pride Night celebrations and the postgame community skate that were set for Saturday have been rescheduled for Feb. 2.
Many people reached out to KGW, expressing frustration over the Rose Quarters' decision to proceed with some scheduled events.
Meanwhile, Saturday's performances of Disney's The Lion King at the Keller Auditorium were canceled due to the weather, according to Broadway in Portland. Shows were supposed to go on at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. A new performance has been scheduled Jan. 18. People who purchased tickets will be automatically refunded and will receive priority access to the added show.
