US GP in Austin Discussion and Speculation...

Where can we buy tickets? Is there an email list to be notified when they go on sale?

 

Always thought that they'd be done 'on time'

Do you really think they made the draft schedule without looking into the weather that time of year??? Everyone thought it'd be bad from the moment they mentioned it. Surely Susan Combs and Perry brought that one up to Bernie...

Of all the conclusions you've jumped to about this project, certainly you can see that? Or do you not want to, because that would mean Bernie did Tavo a favor?

http://www.circuitofamericas.com/

 

Just perplexed as to why, the one time you decide to take Tavo at his word; it is about the June date.

I'm guessing Tavo needed to get the METF application resolved before the other backer's would release their funds.....$25MM a year, for 10 years is a very big question. i.e. its not the money he needed, its the guarantee of getting it from the State. Which, he pretty much has. City of Austin is done doing their part. All they need to do now, is wait until November to reapply for it.

 

Nov Date Official.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2011/8/12472.html

 

For the optimists here can someone(s) knowledgeable of the Austin area and track location put together an evolving "If You're Planning to Attend USGP FAQ" sticky.

I realize we're a 1 yr+ out but any recommendations on areas & hotel to stay/avoid, parking, FChat gatherings, time to get from Y to Z on race day, links to points of interest, etc will be much appreciated.

TIA

See y'all in Austin! (fingers & toes crossed)

 

This will saturate the local hotel market.

The East Side IS the 'bad side" of town, but it's rapidly being gentrified.

Tons of small towns to the east, google up Bastrop, Taylor, Smithville etc.
Going south there's San Marcos, New Bransfels.

Fchat Ferrari Corral will be at South Congress at Oltorf. (+/-)
We can probably jam two or three RVs into there if you don't want to be at the Track.

Pre Race Gala Thursday night at the Broken Spoke.

What have I left out?

 

I'm not too hopeful on scoring a hotel room, but I am going to try looking on VRBO or homeaway to see if I can book something that way.

 

East side isn't so bad. There are a few other places - 183/35/rundberg area ain't so great. East Austin now has a lot of hipster bars/food trailers and great dive bars. Still, there is crime. Last time I was over there, I heard some shots going off. Some people ducked around me, but I thought... eh, yup, East side.

Congress and Oltorf? Where specifically? The HEB, or the lot with the barber shop I used to frequent eons ago?

 

closer to that old movie theater....

 

Not obtain the money; get it through the local process. If you remember, they pressed the city council to get it done quickly; saying it was going to happen in June.

No way they were ever going to try to get them to cut a check through early. The law is quite explicit about when you can request the funds

 

It was more than just a project plan. There were processes which were begun using that date as an affirmative event date. And project management is a much move involved process (that changes drastically even when the whole thing is shifted by 5 months) such that creating all of this fake would not just take 10 minutes.

The "push the city to get moving so we can get the $25MM" is the only argument that I think makes any sense, but as was stated before, on a project that is going to cost $400MM, I don't think there is critical need to secure that $$ such that an elaborate deception needed made to ensure it came through.

Anyway, like I said, the merits of this project have always been based on a 6/2012 race date. It only seems like a simple and small change in hindsight (after they are clearly months behind). 15 months ago when it was announced, or when the race date was spoken, people weren't building in an extra 5 months then.

 

You guys are saying it like everyone knew all along that 6/2012 was never going to happen.

But nobody ever said that until it was clear they were way behind and needed an out.

Just sayin

And if it was an early date that was never meant to be kept, why not make it the first race and say USGP would be March 2012, and make the buffer larger, since it was just an invented date anyway?

 

Well arguing if they would have made the June date, or if you now or ever believed they would have made it is a complete waste of time now since we will never know. With the November date now announced, the need and push for the June date is now gone.

 

posted in here on may 16th of this year....

 

Tavo and Co. did for me 2 weeks till they start putting up the buildings, i hope.....and it's still summer

 

Semantics my friend; it's not the letter of the post that matters, its the spirit of the post

 

I'm still holding steadfast to this not happening, although I hope it does and I will be there if it does.

 

...which was a YEAR after they started the project.

So, like I said - not until they were way behind schedule did anyone suggest the race was going to be moved. Some talked about the heat in Texas in June, but for a year, everyone was betting on a June date.

And as I said, if the idea was to make a fake race date all along to get the money in place and account for inevitable delays in permiting, then they would have just picked TX as the first race of 2012.

The idea that it was never going to be in June just doesn't hold water.