Oh, that'd be awesome! I'll be the one wearing a IVettel t-shirt Let me know if you need something from your former home town.
DEEP DISH PIZZA nut-in like some Chicago deep dish! (we do order from Lou's, but its not 100%) thanks, though!
Now you can buy Gino's deep dish frozen. If you want to meet us at the airport, I could bring you some. I can't take it to my hotel as I don't have a freezer there.
BTW, COTA is taking a beating on their Facebook page over USGP ticket delays, apparently deleting posts by angry customers. In a KVUE article today they said that: - all the tickets have been sent (customers are telling us otherwise) - they're only a week late (bull****. they're a month late according to COTA's own website), and - the only remaining problems are with customers who moved or changed addresses. That prompted a flood of responses on our page from people saying they're using the same addresses as last year and haven't heard a thing about the tickets. 9 days out from FP1. This is crazy. In this story, just as we're seeing elsewhere, COTA's story about the ticket delays seems to contradict customer accounts of emails they've received. In some customer emails, COTA says they've "mailed our last batch of tickets this past Monday, Nov. 4th". In others as late as today, they're saying that tickets "will be mailed out shortly via USPS". So far COTA has blamed address updates, a printing problem, Ticketmaster, and FOM. Who's next? https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/some-f1-fans-are-still-waiting-for-tickets&ct=ga&cd=MTQ5OTE5OTg1NjI0NzA5NzUxOQ&cad=CAEYAQ&usg=AFQjCNE1CZEcrxJyNLz-B3U74aBZk92TUg
Still no tickets, no emails, no tracking numbers, but have to travel soon. Might cancel and call it a lesson learned. Two USGPs and one MotoGP completely disorganized, Schwantz fiasco, investors' fiasco, etc. will keep me away. Unrepairable for me, I am afraid. Too bad this is now a negative for visiting Texas itself, instead of an incentive to visit. As I have said before, COTA is hurting Texas' image a lot. What do you think I tell other Alaskans about my trips to Texas to see races? Because over time it will be Texas, not COTA as details fade.
FYI - I received an email from cota today/my tickets were mailed Monday. Evidently there is confusion between ticketmaster & cota; not sure how or what though. Cota is staffing people to handle extra calls etc and have said if your tickets don't arrive in time they will be available at their ticket locations. Or if they are in transit when you are traveling, they will issue you new tickets in Austin. A friend called there and the lady was very nice, professional and apologetic. Either way - looking forward to a great weekend; have friends flying in from Italy for the race itself (I won't be at the fchatters dinner) Kevin
I'm still at the same address as I was when I ordered my tickets back in Feb. Sadly I have not received an email or my tickets. I'm also quite upset, but know that I can get the tickets at will call if I absolutely have to. Edit: Correction, I ordered my tickets on April 2nd and they were shipped monday via USPS.
This has been a major concern for me all along. I know it's difficult, but please don't let COTA's arrogance and ineptitude affect your perceptions of Austinites and Texans. These people are an embarrassment to the way we do business and host visitors.
I have zero confidence that will call will work. Two employees, 1000s in line, each with a different problem, different story, different language, different email order, different receipt. No will call for parking lot passes because you can't park to get to will call without the pass they didn't send you, no refund of ticket shipping and handling costs. No way will call can work based on their past performance. If you have a general admission email receipt, they should open the gate, by pass will call, and let you in.
Just beware guys, with all the problems, will call may be a very busy place. As you say, they are telling people to pick tickets up at will call, but there's no parking at the ticket office for fans to park and walk up. They also have only set aside one time slot for people to walk up and redeem Formula1.com & GPTour vouchers: Thursday the 14th from 1:30 to 5:30. No other times on Friday - Sunday have been determined. I don't know what they intend for later arriving fans to do.
For the record - here is the portion of the email regarding will call On another note; I really don't understand the hatred towards cota. Last years event was a universal success....I've been to dozens of tracks, they all have issues but most of these don't deter me from enjoying the event. (So what if there is a Schwartz lawsuit - doesn't affect me) Will Call office is located at the Grand Plaza entrance by Lot B and Turn 15. Will call will be open from November 11th to November 17th. Monday-Wednesday from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Thursday from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. Friday-Sunday from 7:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. Photo IDs will be required to pick up your tickets. Only the person who the account name is under will be able to pick up the tickets, unless we are notified in advance that another guest will pick up the tickets. The guest should have their picture ID and order confirmation form ready to help expedite the process. Vouchers from formula1.com and gptours.com can also be redeemed at the Grand Plaza box office. Times for these windows will vary from normal box office hours. Hours are Thursday 1:30-5:30 P.M., Friday-Saturday TBD.
Devil's advocate: But to many, "these people" work and live in Texas, represent Texas, and are Texans. Wish Alan/Big Tex was the image. I know better, but look at all those Texas flags on COTAs website, look at all the Texas colors around the track, look at Hamilton's cowboy hat on the podium, listen to Leigh Diffy say how great Texas is for Formula 1, look at all the "come to TEXAS for Formula 1" hype. Then don't get your tickets, park in the mud, wait in will call, don't get a program because there aren't any on race day left, wait an hour for a cheap t-shirt for $30, eat a $10 frozen hamburger, etc. Like it or not, to outsiders COTA is Texas. The 100 or so on FChat know better, but the other 100,000 visitors don't. Texas is great, but if your first visit is to COTA, it will probably be the last to Texas.
I've been to many GPs around the world and have to say COTA is making some bad mistakes. - public transportation - not allowing taxis to drive to the entrance - restrictions on what to bring along (remember last years camera disaster?) - piss poor communication online - 3 day passes (which only now they changed) That said they have a terrific track and I look fwd to the weekend. Overall they are not as bad as Silverstone or Interlagos
My tickets finally arrived and I must say I'm disappointed they're not the large cards that I got last year. Instead they're normal "concert ticket" like tickets :/ I guess next year I need to call COTA and order tickets directly from them?
In response to this question COTA has said that only PSL owners and season ticket holders would be getting commemorative tickets. So I guess a $650+ ticket isn't really a "Premium" ticket after all. Really, though, there's nothing "Premium" at all about most of COTA's so-called Premium seating. It's mostly typical backless bleachers with no shade.
ROFL To be fair: At Indy they used "Admit One" type of sticker/tickets when you bought them directly at the booth. I'm fine either way, as long as it gets me in.
So, apparently some folks got this email today: ...and this statement was released 2 hours ago on their FB page: - First off..."General" Plaza? WTF is that? I know what they meant, but it's called the Grand Plaza. COTA can't even get their own terminology right in emails to people who may not be familiar enough with the place to know on their own what to ask directions to. - USPS...that means tickets sent that way can arrive no sooner next week than Tuesday. Monday is Veteran's Day. - A week late? No. Try a month late according to your own website. Better off not using this blatant lie as an excuse when it's so easy to shoot down. It just makes you look like even bigger arrogant idiots, if that's possible. - Ticket changes forced by FOM? Ha! Yeah right COTA. The only reason FOM would have them make last minute changes causing late delivery would be if they f'ed it up in the first place...and a WEEK late? They're so full of it. These tickets are already a month late according to their own site. So in these two statements they blame FOM, Ticketmaster, and address changes. They have also blamed printing problems. So it's everyone's fault but theirs! What a cluster of epic proportions.
It's not a good thing when your guests are legitimately scared that things won't work out. Luckilly my gf and I can get to the track on Thursday to exchange our vouchers for tickets (we bought from f1.com), what what about everyone who bought tickets to arrive late Thursday months ago? Newsflash COTA: easilly half your audience is travelling to the race. Travellers need to know things in advance. It's sad to say but at this rate I likely won't be back to COTA for another event, which is sad because all our local Austin Fchatters have been nothing but helpful and friendly.
