i suspect with the new buildings that if they had just renewed the grandstand and museum they'd have struggled to pay the loans they needed to build it. by introducing some new attractions they hoped for a new influx of people, and those who had already been perhaps revisiting. it is a bonus having all the retail stuff undercover at the gp because it's ALWAYS cold wet and/or windy
i think the way germany is holding the race at alternate circuits is the way forward for a lot of places though, especially for circuits where they're struggling to pay bernie's levy. we can only hope the return of schumacher packs the stands out a bit more - in 09 me and a friend paid 99€ each for a lucky dip ticket about a week before the race and got €400 prime first corner seats.... there was a fair amount of empty space around us too.