Stop being such a doubter! They broke ground last YEAR, or weren't you watching? at least 3 or 4 substantial rocks have been moved since then. That's got to be, what, like 20% done?
15 minutes of dozer time... yeah I'd say they are getting close to 20% complete. I miss the original title...
Still lacking local intel on the ground. Someone in Austin needs to get some recent pics of the site since the Statesman has been deemed an unreliable source of information.
read an article that said it took 24 weeks to repave the oval at daytona. that's six months just to repave not build.
Hot news out of Austin! Apparently in a bid to attract more foreign investment to the inglorious US F1 GP (make sure you use GP, lest this ignominious project be bundled in with those other hacks at the failed US F1 race team), and especially to attract middle eastern investment, US F1 GP have announced the recent employ of Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf as their spokesperson and liaison to the public and indeed to the rest of the sporting world. Muhammad brings many years of PR and journalistic experience as well as a keen insight into the politics of interfacing with sometimes-difficult government entities. He also adds a renowned talent for working in pressure situations and staying focused and "on message". Off the record, I've read Muhammad is thought to have been brought on board for his ability to "sell" a difficult situation as a win. Could this mean trouble for the US F1 GP?
Fixed. It'll be OK. They'll call him Bobby-Baghdad. He'll fit right in. Here's a pic from his last gig... Image Unavailable, Please Login
No way! No trouble at all. No US investor willing to go public to say he is funding it. No significant construction of any kind and now the begging has begun to sell a failed or failing business plan! This has always been a plan to sell a plan for a profit. Rome has better chance of holding a GP unless something significant happens soon in Austin. Maybe something or some one will get this moving in the right direction!
+1 Yet when I compared it to the USF1 scam, people criticized me for it claiming this is very different. Seems that way right now.
Here's an article from 01/03 that I haven't seen before; it details the various phases and steps etc. I'm sure this will not satisfy any of the people on here that require updates everyday though http://www.bizjournals.com/mobile/austin/news/2011/01/03/formula-one-austin-track-slowly-breaks.html
Actually reading that article even raises more flags for me: Heavy equipment is lined up and some work such as soil testing has reportedly started, but moving dirt on a large scale hasnt been able to start yet. In September, at the first public briefing to elected officials, project representative Richard Suttle told the Travis County Commissioners that our engineers tell us in order to make a 2012 race we need to be moving dirt by December of this year. Based on that they're already missing the deadline because they are not moving dirt. The developers still need both city of Austin and Travis County administrative staff approval which is different than the public hearing that already granted approvals to allow construction crews to begin bulldozing the site for track preparation, city and county staff said. red flag On the county end, Transportation & Natural Resources Executive Manager Joe Gieselman said Thursday they are still waiting on an approval letter from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and for developers to post a $900,000 insurance payment to the county, in the event that floodplain and vegetative restoration needs to happen after construction starts. another red flag and if you have the $ why not pay the insurance now and get that one out of the way? At the same time, city staff are still awaiting updates on electric, water utility and water drainage issues before a grading permit is issued, the planning review manager said Thursday. words like "awaiting" are just more red flags After the grading permits are issued, the developers will have to submit plans for vertical construction, which are not yet on file at the city, according to city and county staff. not yet on file = more red flags On the county side, the vertical construction permit will hinge on the developer and county reaching a deal on $6 million in road work, which the county has requested the developer pay for, county staff said. it's only money, right? Reached Thursday, Christian Epp, track design firm Tilke GmbHs director of the Americas, said everything is perfect and on schedule. Oh really? Then why the delay in moving dirt? commented on the ambitious time line to complete the track, which even global F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone has expressed concern about. If Bernie gets concerned, I would get too. But missing a 2012 launch does not void the deal, Weaver said. Nor would potential penalties render the project unaffordable, Epstein added. Will it be the end of the world if we dont have a race in 2012? No, Weaver said. let the back paddling begin
Spotted a flat bed semi (empty) on thursday afternoon, along the side of the road , near the entrance. Maybe dropping off equiptment? Drove around the perimeter saturday for a closer look-could not spot anything going on from the road. Maybe????
Or a Repo crew coming to get a 'dozer... Were any of these people seen in the vicinity? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yeah, we all know Texans (even transplanted ones) get along with Saudis like oil and oil. BHW Image Unavailable, Please Login
