Beyonce gets key to the city, concert preparation underway in Santa Clara

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Beyoncé will be at Levi’s Stadium Wednesday night and local agencies and businesses are getting ready for the oversize crowds. The City of Santa Clara is also making it a special day for Beyoncé.  

Beyonce’s fans call themselves the Bey Hive and local officials say they’re expecting a large crowd Wednesday night. Queen Bey, as she’s called, is one of the hottest summer concert tickets to have, and now she’s coming to the Bay Area. 

"Well Amakai Japanese Cuisine was here last time Beyonce was out, and she brought great crowds," said Cindy Shen, Amakai Sushi co-owner. 

Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour is heading to Levi’s Stadium Wednesday night. The City of Santa Clara will also name her honorary Mayor for the day and will give her a key to the city. As one of the highest grossing tours of the year, her impact on local economies is significant. Nearby hotels and restaurants are looking forward to the boost. 

"It’s not just Amakai Japanese Sushi. It’s for everybody in this plaza and everyone on the other side as well. Beyonce will bring crowds from everywhere; from Sacramento, Southern California. You name it. They’re coming from everywhere," Shen said.  

Public transportation including BART and VTA are also boosting their services. BART says it will run trains for the concert until after midnight at select East Bay stations with added security. VTA says it’ll increase its service by 30% and run for at least an hour after the concert ends. 

"It is a weeknight. So concert goers are going to be vying for space on the train with regular commuters, so we urge people to just have patience. They’re going to be a lot more crowded than they normally are starting around 4:30 or 5 o’clock in the afternoon," said Stacey Hendler Ross, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Spokesperson.  

VTA also says they’ll add more signs to help fans find their way back to the light rail after the concert, which is expected to last until 11pm. As the concert approaches, Amakai Sushi says they’re also stocking up on inventory.

"We need to make sure that we have enough beer and wine and sake because they tend to go through that more so than the food," Shen said. 

Beyonce is currently the most decorated Grammy winner ever with 32 on her shelf and this is the 5th time she’ll be playing at Levi’s Stadium.  

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