US GP in Austin Discussion and Speculation...

Inspection only takes two hours!?!?!?!?
Uh yeah.

Can't imagine the pressure there is to have this pass muster....

 

OKay gang, I guess I need to start a Thread in Texas, but my host (an Austin fireman) advises that the City gets nasty quick, over "Mass Gatherings" as well as "Amplified Music" in a residential area......never mind he's ON South Congress, one block south of Trophies Club (which has ALL of that!)..

Long story short, I want to throw a party for EVERYONE, around the world to come hang and hear some tunes from a local band, and park Lambos and Ferraris and whatever ya got in the yard.

What night doesn't conflict with FCA, or if we burn all night, will FCA members come by?
Friday, or Saturday?
Thursday night is already Jesse Dayton out at the Broken Spoke

More than 49 people is a 'Mass Gathering' and I'll need a permit.

Give me some feedback.

This party is going to be "too big to hide" being right on Congress, across from the Lingerie Store....

Also, help me brainstorm if anyone 'knows someone" that can run cover on this, but I am fine buying permits..
How to get the word out?

Here?

Moorespeed?

redcar1???

 

I know.....Anybody else doing general admission??? I have no idea what is going to be the best place to be

photo from statesman. via FofF1ATX facebook
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I would like to do GA tickets, but don'r have them. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

No lies:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102859

 

Austin Hotel lobby is really retarded:

Just tried to make a reservation for next year's event, but even then ALL hotels have blocked reserved that date.

That's so effin retarded: I'm willing to pay big bucks for a downtown hotel, yet they take themselves off the market.

 

Did you inquire at Lost Pines Resort?

They will heli shuttle to the track IIRC.

Really the resorts west at the Lake are a nice change from downtown.
Downtown is full of politicians and coeds......
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Tried that too: Blocked dates

 

Charlie Whiting has inspected the track and cleared it "ready to go." The press release indicates that he was very impressed with what he saw.

 

Did you try the "official" COTA site? I think they have rooms that appear blocked on other sites.

http://circuitoftheamericas.hotelsforhope.org/v6/search/longLat?_s=9O0drSIJin-MxjFS&_k=ReZGDoNS&siteId=24978

It's a bit wonky, or maybe overloaded, but seems to have hotels available. Try zooming into downtown and sorting by price "high to low" to see the expensive ones.

If you don't want to pay downtown prices, but still want to be in Austin, the Arboretum area is about 15 mins NW of downtown and is a nice area.

 

Nothing available, all dates blocked.

Money is not the issue here. Availability is.

 

Ah, you were looking for next year. Sorry, missed that. Lame that they won't release the rooms for people who want to make plans!

 

May be this has been covered before, sorry....

If I park downtown at the campus location, will there be anything happening within walking distance of that location in the evening? What vehicle parking is available or where do they plan on you parking to take the shuttle from downtown -anything free - doubtful? Can someone help with some information? Alternate parking and shuttle location benefits?

Thanks,

Norbert

 

Yes and I'm willing to pay a premium but by just blocking the dates they really don't give me a chance. So I booked a room in Montreal. Expensive but available

 

Let's just meet up a bit north of the track in my friend's trailer. In the morning we'll take dirt bikes down to the track and beat all the traffic, and the F1 drivers will give us big kudos for showing up in dirty racing suits although we may have some difficulty getting into the Ferrari tent...... we'll just tell them we're friends of Mad Max and they'll believe us.

 

Yes, there will be two festivals within walking distance to the downtown shuttle pickup area. I think the closer one is the Experience Austin festival. But they are both within walking distance, and many blocks will be closed for only pedestrian traffic. This is the official city page about parking and events: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/atx-grand-prix

As for parking, there are a number of parking garages and paid lots downtown, as well as street parking. The garages for state employees will be available for F1 visitors, but there are other options also. None of them will be free I imagine, but during UT games parking is about $15 downtown, so it might be around the same range.

I'm not aware of anything going on at the Expo Center (the other shuttle location), and I know the road access out there is limited. If I were visiting, I'd prefer to be downtown.

Edited to add: Apparently there is another COTA parking offer -- parking by the airport -- another shuttle situation but it looks like you can buy reserved parking at $30. Just went on sale: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0C004933E2DCBDD0?brand=cota&camefrom=CFC_COTA_EMAIL_MC_120926_Airport&utm_source=Circuit+of+The+Americas+&+Formula+1+United+States&utm_campaign=a347c6f00c-Airport_Shuttle9_24_2012&utm_medium=email

 

Has been a year since I last drove a bike but hey...

 

The UT campus starts at 19th, and there's places to eat there.

The Capitol area is 12th Street, state offices and commercial buildings for the most part.

The Bar Zone on 6th Street is the center of nightlife, in a way, but there's another entertainment zone south of the river called South Congress, with the Continental Club, Trophies, and numerous cool clothing shops, Allens Boots western wear and restaurants Cuero's (live music there) and food trucks.

Further south yet, Lucy's Chicken south of Live Oak, and an Italian place there on South Congress.

So, all of that, if not 'walking" distance a short cab hop from the shuttle lot.
Scholtz Beer Garden is right there, not far south of UT Stadium

 

All the Capitol surface Parking Lots, is what I am guessing they are using for Shuttle staging, like for the UT football games, and further south downtown there's a lot of Parking Garage capacity.

 

COTA just listed their prohibited items for the race....
'No still cameras with lenses exceeding 10" or detachable lenses of any kind'

WTF????

That's a horrible precedent to start....
There are a ton of DSLR users that are goin to be pissed off
Kevin

 

Unbelievable!!!!!

If true I lost all interest to ever go to Austin.

 

Full press release

http://6bd32fe3d0a84caa1d3b-e077574ebbd2dc508f26c12c8cc8fefb.r63.cf1.rackcdn.com/5065a2a141c3cCOTA-F1USGP-ProhibitedItems(9.28.12).pdf

 

Dayum!

No video cameras!
No coolers!
No food or drink!

I haven't attended in a few years, so could be wrong, but AFAIK no other track does this BS, right?

Cheers,
Ian

 

Oh, no! Even Cowbells are on the prohibited list!

Seriously, I'm ticked off about the camera ban. Anyone recommend a half-way decent point and shoot?

 

Video cameras have always been banned...not sure what they do about iPhones etc....that's why so many fan videos are removed from YouTube; FOM violation....(rebroadcasting)