It was going to be the concert of a life time for Theresa Mendez. The Janet Jackson super fan was going to see the pop icon for the first time in concert.
Saturday night’s plan involved Mendez driving from Crown Point, Ind. to Tinley Park for the Together Again concert at the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, formerly known as the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, among other names.
Mendez told NBC Chicago that when they arrived in Tinley Park, they were met with relentless traffic that never let up.
“Traffic everywhere,” she said. “Anyway, you can imagine every road you turn down. We even had a homeowner when we were backed up in their subdivision say that she had never seen traffic like this, and she's lived there for over 30 years.”
After several hours stuck in traffic, the couple decided to head home to Crown Point without seeing Jackson perform.
“We just could not get in. There was nowhere to park," Mendez told NBC Chicago.
The Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre has a capacity of over 28,000 people, with a capacity of over 17,000 spectators in lawn seats.
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Some fans said there were just too many vehicles and not enough workers helping to direct traffic.
In the time since, many fans have been airing their frustrations on social media.
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Tania Arroyo purchased two pavilion tickets worth approximately $600 and had only gotten to see around 25 minutes of the concert.
“I think maybe they didn't anticipate this crowd,” Arroyo told NBC Chicago.
“They were just understaffed. It was a mess. So far, they have issued a $50 credit towards another concert. That's it, and that's just not okay," Arroyo said.
Arroyo added that what was supposed to be an experience she was looking forward to quickly turned into a nightmare.
Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre told NBC Chicago that e-mails and phone calls went out to fans about high traffic, instructing them to arrive early. The venue also said it did not run out of parking, while acknowledging fans' frustration over traffic delays and parking issues.
A full list of upcoming shows at the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre can be found here.
