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Patrons leaving Rogers Place after the Dolly Parton concert Saturday night were forced to use alternative exit points because a deluge of rain forced the closure of the portal walkway.

Tim Shipton, vice president corporate communications with Oilers Entertainment Group, said the decision to close the walkway, which leads concertgoers from Ford Hall to 104 Avenue, came at about 10:15 p.m.

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“That rain, boy did it hit hard,” Shipton said.

“The portal was closed due to safety issues with the flooring in the portal because of the amount of rain that came down in such a short period of time.

“The feeling was that it presented a slip and trip hazard so, as a venue, we made that decision (to close it) for the safety of our customers.

“We certainly apologize for any confusion and inconvenience that any of our customers experienced but overall, safety and security of customers is paramount.”

Shipton said they would assess the flooring material to see “how it can adapt to extreme weather conditions and move forward.”

Some angry fans took to social media to voice their concerns about leaving the venue.