USA Grand Prix Austin (part deux)

[JeremySmith]

I like sitting on temporary seating, it never spoilt the racing at Long Beach..

[BobHWS]

Temporary grandstands are OK. That's what they have at my favorite race, Montreal. (In defense of Montreal, it's technically a temporary circuit and all the grandstands must be taken down after the two races held there.) Also, the article also says that some Austin spectators will view the race from berms.

But in pointing out how few permanent seats they plan to build (just 9K), my intent was to show one more piece of evidence that the project has money problems. The people behind this venture have been making grandiose promises about it since the day it was announced. But as the project as moved along, it sounds more and more underwhelming...and underfunded.

[JeremySmith]

I think it's going to be fine, as they said right from the *very* beginning they would not have everything finished by the race date...

They are being smart and not just throwing endless amounts of money at this project, remember they thought that they were going to get $25 million from the Special Events Fund up front..That is a lot of money....

The most important thing from my point of view is that COTA provides the opportunity for great racing for all the series that will come and race here, not just F1, this facility is going to get used a lot...

When fans attend a race in Austin if it's rubbish then all the seating, dancing girls, and bling in the world will not make one bit of difference will it!

It took Silverstone a while to get it together, so give us a break please as we have just started and we deliver, as this is one Tilke track that is going to work..

Look at the layout...

[bella]

Originally Posted by BobHWS

Also, the article also says that some Austin spectators will view the race from berms.

what are they? it just sounds like bums in a posh windsor accent

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by bella

what are they? it just sounds like bums in a posh windsor accent

'Berms' are what you get built or formed on a Motocross circuit where the bikes kick out mud and dust that builds up onto the outside of a corner.




It can also just be a ledge that has formed naturally at the top of a slope.

[chillibowl]

im going to see how may times i can use that word today.

[bella]

thanks, marbot

so basically it's going to be zandvoort style sand in your shoes stuff? 'fever', as the motorsport press in-crowd would say.

[Marbot]

It probably won't rain, so dirt becomes quite useful under such conditions.

However, if it does rain, about 90,000 people are going to get fairly ****ed off!

[BobHWS]

Now that COTA has shown the world how construction is progressing, it's time to check in with a couple of residents of Elroy, the little town whose name is destined to one day take its place among most honored place names in the world of Formula One Grand Prix racing...Spa, Imola, Monaco, Monza, Nurburg, Castellet, Silverstone, Suzuka, Watkins Glen...Elroy.

So here are two residents of Elroy sharing their feelings about the new track and the race. On the one hand, we have Mr. Grumpy Stubbs, who, as best I can understand him, is absolutely thrilled with the what's happening right in his own backyard.

On the other hand, we have Mr. Donald Haywood, who retired to the sleepy hamlet of Elroy in 1996 only to wake up one day years later to learn that his God's Little Acre (well, 15 acres to be exact) is completely surrounded by COTA. Mr. Haywood is now a virtual prisoner in a house whose water supply is about to be cut off by COTA. Remember the Alamo!

Elroy residents react to F1 track transformation (play video to hear Grumpy Stubbs)

Elroy homeowner engages in 'David vs. Goliath' battle with F1 (play video to hear Donald Haywood)

[f1toy]

can't wait for f1 to rain down on a retired black american police officer.

good luck with that when the 60Minutes crew shows up at COTA HQ.

won't be long until the 'occupy' crowd shows up too.

hold out mr haywood. hold out. Movie deal in the works:
Ving Rhames stars in: 'Haywood' One Man vs the One Percent.

[wolfhound]

There is a good article in this months F1 Racing by Hans Seeberg about the USGP and it trys to piece together the story of what went wrong.
It appears that Tavo Hellmund and COTA started to have differences in the spring of last year, and the date change along with the split caused the problems with state funding were the two main causes of the problems. The reasons for the split could not be found.
The article also notes a lack of hotel bedrooms in Austin with only about 6000. The teams and press will need over 1600 of these There is another event happening town needing another 1600 meaning if your are a spectator you will need to plan for a bed shortage.

[BobHWS]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

..The article also notes a lack of hotel bedrooms in Austin with only about 6000. The teams and press will need over 1600 of these There is another event happening town needing another 1600 meaning if your are a spectator you will need to plan for a bed shortage.

Wolfhound, thanks for the alert about the article in F1 Racing. Those of us in the US will have to wait a month or two to read it, because that's how long it takes to show up at a bookstore such as Barnes & Noble.

I don't know what "other event" the article might refer to, but it's not a major convention. The Austin Convention Center lists only a Junior League Christmas Fair on its event calendar for that weekend. Such an event attracts a lot of attendees, but they are almost all local residents.

I do agree, though, that Austin does not have an adequate number of first class hotel rooms to meet the demand for such rooms during an F1 race weekend. Many people will have to stay in less desirable Austin hotels and motels or in nice hotels in more distant locations such as San Antonio.

Everyone should be prepared to pay very high rates in advance with no refunds. Of course, in that respect, Austin will be no different than most F1 locations. I just wonder if some potential American race fans are prepared for the shock they will get when they try to book a room for the weekend.

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by BobHWS

I don't know what "other event" the article might refer to, but it's not a major convention. The Austin Convention Center lists only a Junior League Christmas Fair on its event calendar for that weekend. Such an event attracts a lot of attendees, but they are almost all local residents.

According to the article it is an emergency medical services convention.

[BobHWS]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

According to the article it is an emergency medical services convention.

That's scheduled to start the day after the race. I would guess that most of those people would arrive when the F1 people are leaving, though it could pose some problems for people who plan to stay in Austin Sunday night.

Monday, November 19 -- Wednesday, November 21
2012 Texas EMS Conference
Location : Convention Center
Estimated Attendance: 2500

[wolfhound]

Circuit of Americas is due to be completed in August according to Autosport with senior reps meeting with Bernie in England at the moment.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97091

[BobHWS]

No surprise on these times--they're about the same as those for the Canadian Grand Prix. It's possible that Fox, rather than SPEED, will broadcast qualifying and the race live. There is no Saturday college football on the main Fox network and Fox can schedule a single NFL game on Sunday in the late afternoon slot. The question is, in an American-football obsessed nation, will anyone other than diehard F1 fans bother to watch F1 on a peak football weekend? Not to mention the NASCAR competition. We'll see.

Times set for Austin’s inaugural F1 race
statesman.com
By Dave Doolittle | Friday, January 20, 2012, 08:45 AM

The inaugural Formula One race planned for Circuit of the Americas on Nov. 18 is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Central time, according to the official Formula One website.

Practices on Friday, Nov. 16, will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and from 2 to 3:30 p.m., the website said. Saturday’s practice will be from 10 to 11 a.m., and qualifying will be at 1 p.m...

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by bella

what are they? it just sounds like bums in a posh windsor accent

Little hills of dirt with grass on them. Other people might call them "mounds".

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by BobHWS

Now that COTA has shown the world how construction is progressing, it's time to check in with a couple of residents of Elroy, the little town whose name is destined to one day take its place among most honored place names in the world of Formula One Grand Prix racing...Spa, Imola, Monaco, Monza, Nurburg, Castellet, Silverstone, Suzuka, Watkins Glen...Elroy.

So here are two residents of Elroy sharing their feelings about the new track and the race. On the one hand, we have Mr. Grumpy Stubbs, who, as best I can understand him, is absolutely thrilled with the what's happening right in his own backyard.

On the other hand, we have Mr. Donald Haywood, who retired to the sleepy hamlet of Elroy in 1996 only to wake up one day years later to learn that his God's Little Acre (well, 15 acres to be exact) is completely surrounded by COTA. Mr. Haywood is now a virtual prisoner in a house whose water supply is about to be cut off by COTA. Remember the Alamo!

Elroy residents react to F1 track transformation (play video to hear Grumpy Stubbs)

Elroy homeowner engages in 'David vs. Goliath' battle with F1 (play video to hear Donald Haywood)

I can't wait to go to Wild Bubba's Wild Game Grill.

I love Texas, I'm probably going to buy a small spread of land there someday.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

There is a good article in this months F1 Racing by Hans Seeberg about the USGP and it trys to piece together the story of what went wrong.
It appears that Tavo Hellmund and COTA started to have differences in the spring of last year, and the date change along with the split caused the problems with state funding were the two main causes of the problems. The reasons for the split could not be found.
The article also notes a lack of hotel bedrooms in Austin with only about 6000. The teams and press will need over 1600 of these There is another event happening town needing another 1600 meaning if your are a spectator you will need to plan for a bed shortage.

No biggie to me, I'm either going to stay with friends and baring that I'll stay in Hill Country, New Braunfels, San Marcos or even San Antonio.

[Spritle]

Originally Posted by BobHWS

The question is, in an American-football obsessed nation, will anyone other than diehard F1 fans bother to watch F1 on a peak football weekend? Not to mention the NASCAR competition. We'll see.

If Homestead 2012 is anything like Homestead 2011, I doubt many NASCAR fans will bother.

[HJJ]

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/seat...m_medium=email

PSL's?

Uh, no thanks.

More.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120122/F1/120129966

[Marbot]

"A persoanl (sic) seat license entitles its holder to purchase tickets for all racing events at Circuit of The Americas for the next 15 years."

There's optimism for you.

[Spritle]

A stupid question but do they do this at other venues, like Indy for example with at least three motorsport events?

I guess if you are a motorsport fan and live within a reasonable distance it makes sense but otherwise I can't see it being a popular option.

[JeremySmith]

I am not sure if anyone else does this , I think it's a good idea? I had heard that they were going to offer this option..

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Originally Posted by Spritle

A stupid question but do they do this at other venues, like Indy for example with at least three motorsport events?

I guess if you are a motorsport fan and live within a reasonable distance it makes sense but otherwise I can't see it being a popular option.

It's basically a debenture scheme, buying debenture seat gives you first dibs on tickets at an event. They have become quite common for football and Rugby clubs in the UK as a way to finance new/upgrade stadiums.

Donington Park was looking to used debentures to fund the GP upgrade.