F1 In Vegas?

Now recruiting flag marshals

Get Involved (f1lasvegasgp.com)

Looking to get involved at the inaugural race? The FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX is now accepting applications for experienced race marshals and marshal support service providers for the much-anticipated race weekend November 16-18. Race marshals will promote overall efficiency and safety of the event. Over 600 marshals are needed, and experts from US Race Management and Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. will oversee the selection process.

Additional opportunities to get involved in race weekend will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Scca calclub work LBGP. Considering tix are $2500 bucks being a flagger for LV would be awesome. If my wife and kid weren’t going to LV I would flag it. Surprise F1 doesn’t have their own guys…how ghetto

 

I cannot imagine what they are going to do to the MSG Sphere during the race. It had its big debut on the 4th of July. Its amazing.

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The entire facilities they are building are pretty amazing.

 

Wow, a shakedown worthy of old time Vegas.

https://nypost.com/2023/07/23/f1-threatens-to-block-las-vegas-clubs-race-views-unless-they-pay-millions-sources/

 

The paddock today. Long way to go still. All of the Strip has been resurfaced but some on Koval and around the MSG Sphere still need to be done.
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https://nypost.com/2023/07/23/f1-threatens-to-block-las-vegas-clubs-race-views-unless-they-pay-millions-sources/

 

but I hope it does not disturb viewing of screen there to see other parts of the race

 

Soooooooooooo business that was there before the great idea of F1 in Vegas must pay??? Hey Liberty have another drink as you run over tax funded roads and piss off???? Idiotic. Zero justification. They dont own the roads, the city or those businesses.

 

Outrageous shows their true face, hope they get sued and feel it hard.

 

What attracted F1 to Las Vegas was the unique set up of the town.
Now they want to charge the town for having a GP. You couldn't make it up !!!
If that system takes off (Miami, Monaco, Singapore, etc ...) maybe that will get rid of street circuits on the calendar ?

 

Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei was on CNBC's Squawk Box this morning talking about all their businesses and F1(F1 is getting to be mainstream business news) and was asked about the 'shakedown'; He didn't deny the rumors, but was very coy with his answer. Kind of 'I never said yes', while saying yes.....

 

It's Vegas Mafia versus F1 Mafia.

Game on!

Given the F1 season thus, the off field drama is infinitely more exciting than the on-track stuff.

 

I'm spoiled in that I have never paid to see any event, I've had press passes for everything I have ever done,
and don't plan on paying now. I'll skip it.

(Chris) Good luck getting an F1 race in the USA then, and I'm surprised COTA is still in business.

Well, if you can personally finance it, I agree with you.

My question is - does Las Vegas *NEED* an F1 race?
They seem to be doing just fine without one...

 

Impressive.

Back in the eighties (when rules weren't as tight) I managed to get a press pass for the Hockenheim GP because I was writing an article for the local newspaper. That was then.

It wasn't about not having to pay for a ticket but to get full on access to pitlane, anywhere on the track etc.

 

I don't know if any of the following is true, so please, feel free to take it with a pinch of salt. Interesting reading though ...


Promoter struggles to sell Vegas F1 tickets | thejudge13


PROMOTER STRUGGLES TO SELL VEGAS F1 TICKETS
July 26, 2023 · by thejudge13 · in . ·Daily F1 News and Comment

Formula One’s owner’s are banking on their shiny new race down ‘the strip’ in Las Vegas to bring in more cash than any other event on the calendar. Liberty Media who own the commercial rights to the sport have taken the historic decision to jointly promote the race in Nevada.
An entire block along the planned route has been bought and developed by F1 to house the paddock and deliver an all year round venue to monetise their investment of around $250m.
F1 record ticket prices in Vegas
Average ticket prices are around $6,600 for a three day ticket more than 50% more than the $4,500 its costs to attend F1’s other all new American venue.
No wonder Formula One is loving America.
Unlike the venue in Miami which is self contained, the circuit in Vegas will see the cars hurtling down ‘the strip’ at speeds topping 200 mph passing, The Mirage, Caesars Palace, Drai’s Beachclub, the Bellagio and Cosmopolitan.
The the course takes the racers along Sands Avenue past Planet Hollywood and around the newly built Las Vegas Sphere and Wynn Resorts.
Fans refuse to pay F1 premium
Many of the hotels and Vegas hot spots have officially partnered with Formula One and the race promoters have paid the owners of Madison Square Garden’s soon to be opened Sphere Arena nearly $10 million to empty its parking lot so they can erect spectator stands.
Beer Park which owns a 9000 square foot terrace and almost 100 huge HGTV’s around its venue is an official partner with F1 paying a licensing fee. However this as escalated the price charged by a usually affordable venue to $5,500 for three days access to its space.
One fan posted on twitter, “$8,000 per person for Heineken House?” Which has a multi tier structure and well known DJ’s appearing throughout the weekend.
“As a true F1 fan, very disappointing that nothing at the Las Vegas Grand Prix is affordable — but there are tickets available. Guess I will stick with general admission passes for Austin and Miami.”
F1 partners exempt from additional guest fees
Despite the huge marketing of F1’s arrival in Vegas for the penultimate race of the year, the tickets have not sold. They have been released in limited time only tranches a method used by promoters to create a feel for exclusivity and a shortage of supply.
Hotels like the Venetian and Wynn who have partnered with Formula One are believed to be paying between $2 million and $10 million each and are official race sponsors claims the New York Post. They in turn will not be charged an incremental fee for each resident during the 3 day weekend event.
Now Formula One is trying to shakedown independent Vegas hotspots for money because their businesses happen to be along the route of the newest F1 race in America.
“How dare you have a business for years besides our shiny new track,” one TJ13 commentator quipped.
Planet Hollywood fees demanded
The fee now being demanded of the likes of Planet Hollywood and Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beer is $1,500 per head for th maximum capacity their venues hold.
Regardless of how many guests attend a venue with 1200 seats would be charged a whopping $1,8m and if the venues refuse to pay up, Liberty Media have threatened them with erecting ‘obstructions’ outside to ruin the view of the track according to The Post.
“There is a real chance of obstructing views with stands and barricades,” one source of The Post claimed who is close to the situation
“I know the hotels are upset about it and they are trying to figure out if they’ll play along.”
F1 acting like “mobster Bugsy Seigel”
The source claims to have seen a letter sent to the venues with a subtle threat, “worthy of Vegas pioneer and infamous mobster Bugsy Siegel.”
“Las Vegas Grand Prix will use reasonable efforts to maintain sightedness from licensee’s venue to the track/race,” is the alleged wording.
The Post also claims “salespeople working for Renee Wilm, the Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO and Liberty Media’s chief legal officer, have even threatened that lights will be shined toward the viewing areas of unlicensed venues, blinding guests trying to get a peek at the nighttime race.”
One Vegas executive alleges his venue flatly refused to cough up the $1,500 a head demanded by F1. The response apparently has been for F1 to pressurise the Las Vegas Grand Prix official sponsors to get that venue to cough up the cash in any way they can.
3 months of F1 construction disruption
“They are literally shaking people down saying they will obstruct views unless they pay them,” one irate Casino boss told The Post
“It seems insane that they are asking money for a public event that is taking place in the streets.”
Another executive is reported to have stated, “There is a certain line they are crossing [by] telling someone who has spent billions on their property that you are shutting the Strip down for construction and then asking them to pay for seats.”
Of course as with Monaco and other street circuits it takes several weeks of disruption to erect the structures necessary for a Formula One race. Monaco is believed to spend a total of 12 weeks a year in preparation and tear down for their Formula One event.
Vegas F1 race profits 10 times other events
The businesses of Vegas will suffer a similar inconvenience for the guests particularly during the start of the massive USA “holiday season.”
Formula One are doing nothing illegal given they have been awarded the rights to the race. Further it would be hard for a venue to prove damages were for example lights to ruin the view of the strip.
An estimated 300,000 fans will attend the inaugural event in Las Vegas. Yet there must be concern amongst F1 executives that unlike in Miami where the tickets sold out in 31 minutes, there are still plenty for sale at present. The current average ticket price, accommodation and flights is likely to cost a couple a punitive $15,000.
Yet F1 are looking to raise around ten times the amount for F1 over the amount paid by Silverstone who had a record attendance of 480,000 spectators at the 2023 British Grand Prix.

 

OK this is not a joke. Its real. Not sure "liquid death" is the best sponsor but there you go...
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The fall-off in tickets for year two is going to be massive.

 

Look into that company great story, making Big bucks.

 

I love Vegas and I love F1 - But this is just ridiculous-

Everyone I know- And people who spend WAAAY more on events and travel than I do- and are Vegas and F1 fans- just scoff and shake their heads.

I think it's cool it's happening but they've made it unattainable/unreasonable even for people that have the $$$ to spend- When you can do 5 days in the Bahamas or Jamaica and live like kings for the same cost as being wedged ass to elbow and watching an F1 car fly by in a nanosecond it makes zero sense-

 

Here is the deal. The international visitation for this is going to be enormous. Every hotel is saying that. That's a much bigger market than the west coast of the USA.

I'm sure the race will have issues. BUT the question will be: Did the visitors have fun for their money that weekend. And I believe Vegas offers that chance over other venues. Food, clubs, pools, drinking all night, gambling, adult entertainment -- all this is part of the package of Vegas, which is why it does so well hosting conventions and trade shows.

They are selling more than "a race" here.

 

No I totally get it- And it's great for the city- And I love the City- my only point it it ostracizes the US folks that are loyal to Vegas and either long-time or new fans to F1- I get the business aspect and LM is all about business- So some Arab Shiek and his entourage is going to drop $2m for the race and another $2m gambling- "Fred" from Idaho is going to drop $500 for tickets and eat Ramen at the Tod Motor Inn <yes- I've stayed there> - I totally get it and think it's fantastic for the city and the sport from a business standpoint- I just feel for the "Freds"

 

I completely agree with that. It pisses off locals as well who cannot afford $2500/ ticket or even $500 walk in, which probably won't get you to see much at all.

IMO it is too expensive and may dial back next year. Only time will tell. But there really is no local opposition to it. They make their money from tourism so any big tourism event in the weak month of November is welcome.

 

Yep- It's awesome for the city- And I applaud that- More Spheres and LINQs- I only hope some of the influx of $$ finds its way to the kitchen staffs, housekeeping folks, bartenders, slot attendants, wait people etc. that keep Vegas Vegas