Formula 1 in Austin

Is anybody else just stoked about the idea? Little Podunk Austin, Texas is the new home of F1.

Ill be there!

Is anybody else just stoked about the idea? Little Podunk Austin, Texas is the new home of F1.

 

Little podunk Austin put up some big $$$ to build the facility. Tx sure knows how to get it done and attract new business.

Interesting article about it. I still think it could go well or fail miserably. I'm sadly leaning towards the latter.

 

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110622/F1/110629956

 

By ALAN PEASE on 6/22/2011

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Formula One: Groundbreaking takes place for U.S. Grand Prix in Austin

The saga of Formula One in Austin, Texas, and the under-construction Circuit of the Americas is a plot full of twists and turns worthy of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. And various issues once again took center stage at Tuesday's city council public work session.

 

The seven-member Austin City Council is on Thursday supposed to vote on whether to endorse the Circuit of the Americas facility--and thereby allow the race promoters to collect the $25 million subsidy offered by the State of Texas via its Major Events Trust Fund. But confusion still reigns.

 

Austin's mayor, the city manager, the city legal department, a representative of the Texas comptroller's office, six of the seven council members, city staff and counsel for F1 Circuit of the Americas, Richard Suttle, all gathered in the room on Tuesday, but no one seemed able to explain several contentious issues to the satisfaction of those present--and this work session did not even include public input. That comes on Thursday. Tuesday's session was held in an attempt to calm the city council's fear--and, of course, get it to sign on the dotted line.

 

Among the issues apparently still unresolved: Where, exactly, is the money coming from, and where it is going? At the moment, F1 Circuit of the Americas has offered to pay a $4 million annual figure--for all 10 years of the contract with Formula One Management--which will in turn trigger the $25 million annual payment from the State of Texas, through the City of Austin, to the promoters of the Circuit of the Americas and on to Formula One Management in the U.K.

 

Lots of other questions remain, such as how much will all of the support services supplied by the city--police, fire, EMS, sanitation, etc.--cost, and who will pay for them? What about the road conditions and capacties out near the track, and transportation in general?

 

From an on-the-scene scene perspective: In the middle of last week, with no official, notable or major tourist events on the Austin area's calendar, the W Hotel in downtown Austin was at full capacity. Simultaneously, most--and at times all--of the rental cars and parking places at the airport were spoken for. The F1 promoters plan to add 120,000 people to this mix next year, in 100-degree daily temperatures. On Tuesday, a morning news program described major traffic congestion on Interstate 35, which rolls through downtown Austin, as "America's Parking Lot." So it's not hard to see why concerns remain at the local level.

 

While Austin is home to sold-out seasons of University of Texas football, along with the annual SXSW Music, Film and Interactive festivals for 10 days each March and the increasingly popular annual Austin City Limits Festival, all of these gatherings occur right in downtown, walking distance from many hotels, restaurants and shops.

 

The Circuit of the Americas track is located southeast of Austin in the same Travis County, but just barely. As of now, there is no public transportation to the track and only one decent two-lane road (FM 812), which will be restriped to accommodate race-day traffic by, (according to the latest plan submitted by F1 Circuit of the Americas), contra-flowing an additional lane, yielding three lanes outbound after the race. Estimates vary as to the length of traffic delays following the race. The promoters cite times "just under three hours," while a county study said it could take more than 12 hours for traffic to clear.

 

There are the unresolved legal issues, which meeting to meeting have remained unresolved. City of Austin legal staff tried to explain to several skeptical council members the various points of agreement still to be negotiated. But rather than clearing the points up, the explanations led to more confusion.

 

Council member Sheryl Cole asked whether the city had considered outside legal counsel to help with understanding and preparing for everything involved in hosting an F1 event in Austin, since the city had never attempted an event of this magnitude before.

 

Council member Chris Riley asked about the track's carbon footprint, whether the race facility will honor "green" initiatives important to the city, and where a plan stands to include bicyclists' access to the event. Another council member even suggested a proposal for a community garden.

 

Council member Randi Shade was not present at Tuesday's session. Shade is believed to be in favor of F1, though she has not committed one way or the other publicly. Still, her defeat in the regular election held in May triggered a $500,000 runoff election held last weekend in which she was defeated again. Many in Austin believe Shade's defeat was related largely to city development and F1 in particular, since she was backed heavily by development and pro-business money, according to election filings.

 

Nonetheless, at a brief media question-and-answer period following Tuesday's session, Suttle expressed confidence again. He said he believes that Thursday's city council vote will be in favor of F1, citing the event's positive projected economic impact and his own "natural optimism."

 

Even if the support measure passes, previously recognized, practical issues remain. On the hotel front alone, several calls and visits on Tuesday to Austin-area hotels and hotel Web sites yielded responses of either "no availability" or "unable to book at this time" for the F1 dates in June next year.

 

While various estimates of available hotels in the area yield different results depending on who you talk to, the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau states that there are 5,500 hotel rooms in downtown Austin and an additional 20,500 rooms inside the city limits.

 

With 120,000 fans potentially attending the inaugural F1 race on June 17, 2012, it's not too early to try and book a room. Hopefully, it's not already too late.

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article#ixzz1Q1lf9AQx

The time of year is going to make it suck. Whoever the F made the schedule wants it to fail. Boo.

 

I will 100% be there with bells on though.

Rumours in various motoring publication are that Red Bull are dropping their sponsorship in Nascar to swtich to sponsoring this race venue.

Here's a pic of the track as it is being build.

 

 

 

Lawsuit being filed because residents do not want state money being pumped into the event.