Apparently, said funds wouldn't be due until after the race anyway, so hopefully no effect..... Further, "COTA is confident they'll still get the money - We'll see I guess. The full story; http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/101867 suggests there's a *long* way to go yet...... Cheers, Ian
Well can you blame them? The marketing of this race has been amateur hour from day 1. I wouldn't jump at tickets until I knew they would actually get the thing built and the money paid, have a viable parking strategy, etc. Fans have GOOD reason to be apprehensive about anything to do with Formula One and the United States.
...again, it appears that your point of view is not shared by all "fans" as we are discussing availability. With that you are beating a dead horse as much of the speculative nonsense that was purported by individuals with no direct link to the project ended up being just that.
Probably a lot more than you wanted to know, but... Actually this is a kind of a non-story here locally. The attorney general's opinion was regarding the original application (since withdrawn), a request from Jerry Patterson in March, and a letter from 2011. Far be it from the press to actually check whether things are current. https://www.oag.state.tx.us/opinions/opinions/50abbott/op/2012/htm/ga0963.htm So the ruling (if there had been one) requiring an application be from a municipality or local organizing committee wouldn't have any effect on the current METF application, which was filed in June I think. By a local organizing committee, just as per the rules. This is all politics, of course ... the comptroller is basically letting Patterson hang on his own rope by making frivolous technical arguments that don't even apply to the current money on the table. AFAIK, The second application process has been by-the-book, precisely to avoid these kinds of issues. Evidenced by this letter from Bernie last month, detailing with the necessary key phrases all the issues that folks have used to try to stop the money in the past: http://www.pitpass.com/images/pdfs/2012_bernie_letter_to_CELOC.pdf And that new application has been accepted, with the comptroller telling the city that F1 could receive up to $29M: http://www.kxan.com/dpp/sports/f1/state-money-in-play-for-formula-1 So the funding for the first race, to be paid after the event, is pretty much a lock IMO. But there could be bumps in the future: 1) The Texas Legislature, which makes the rules for things like the METF, meets in 2013. They could change the statute or kill it in that session. There is no indication that they will do so, but I think politics dictate that some state rep will float a bill to kill it or exclude F1. CoTA should have good lobbyists to ensure that goes nowhere. 2) The application process involves a competitive site selection. But applications are submitted for each year's event independently... so would a competitive process be necessary each year? If so, they may need to come up with a creative solution to that. Perhaps the USGP and GP of America alternating locations each year?
Thanks Ian, I could get the link to paste. There are propbably a lot of people waiting to get paid, or paid back, after the race, so this could be an issue for the future. Still undecided about going.
Just got something in my mail...don't know if it'll help anyone: Says they are releasing a limited # of seats in 1 and 15 for the USGP w/o psl. Between $400-4800/ seat.
Speculative nonsense? Don't try to attempt to make it look like I don't think this is going to happen, because I'm 100% sure it's happening and I hope it will be great, but listen, here's the facts about how friendly COTA has been to the fans: Took FOREVER to get information on ticket pricing/structure, etc. Once the website FINALLY got up, there were broken links everywhere. Emailed questions got no response for weeks (if at all), the whole PSL joke (what a crock of **** that is), absurd lodging prices, no parking at the track unless you bend over for a PSL, updates on track construction beyond few and far between early on which left fans in the dark etc etc. I could go on. You Texans get really defensive when someone criticizes elements of this project (which is funny), but it is NOT hard to figure out why customers would be apprehensive at first.
Yep, call now.. The Grandstands in 1 and 15 have never been a part of the PSL contract, that's the Front Straight/Finish line bleachers....
And that is what I was talking about...it was represented to me that the only way I could sit in T15 was if I bought a PSL. And then after I buy a PSL, I get this: "As a Season Tickets Holder, you can add additional 3 Day Premium Seating for the 2012 FORMULA ONE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX November 16-18. These extra seats at Turn 1 and Turn 15, which are being offered to you at a special rate, will not require a long term contract, are only available for the 2012 USGP and are subject to availability. If you need extra seats in your area for friends, family, clients or co-workers, you can add them to your order for the following prices: $600--Turn 15 rows 25+ and T1 sections six through eight $400--Turn 15 rows 13 through 25 and T1 sections three through five $300--Turn 15 rows 1 through 12 and T1 sections one and two" End of quote. So the OTHER people I am meeting there COULD HAVE bought tickets and saved me from paying $2000 for a PSL. I stand firmly by my earlier statement.
Yeah, that's the way I remember it -- Turn 1 and Turn 15 grandstands were sold PSL-only. They really should have offered these extras at a reduced cost to PSL holders before the sold them to the public. Otherwise they really are just throwing it in the face of people who bought PSLs... they were selling exclusivity, first refusal for other events, and pitched it as the only way to get access these seats. Now anyone can buy them for a price similar to the PSL season ticket cost, and they don't even give the PSL holders first right of refusal.
I got this today by email: Experience the Thrill of Premium Seating A limited number of Premium seats in Turn 1 and Turn 15 have been released for the 2012 FORMULA ONE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX. 3 Day Premium Seating is a great opportunity to sample the tremendous views from our Premium Grandstands. No contract is required to purchase these seats for the 2012 USGP, so hurry and get yours now, as supplies are limited! The bleacher grandstand and general admission tickets to the 2012 USGP have already sold out, so don't miss out on your last chance to buy tickets! The prices for each section are: $800--Turn 15 rows 25+ and T1 sections six through eight $533--Turn 15 rows 13 through 25 and T1 sections three through five $400--Turn 15 rows 1 through 12 and T1 sections one and two
It's Austin, there will always be a bump for any project in the future....Look at how they killed off having a music festival on Auditorium shores the weekend of the race... Combs already has her $$$, they'd have to defund the whole thing, and ask for the money back (from the trust funds). Which won't happen. Ask Rick Perry how he liked Amazon having to pay sales tax. Combs won that one too.... (they collect sales tax now) Creative solution = applying through the ETF, not the METF. No way they only host it every other year. It either succeeds wonderfully, or fails after two or three years....
I wasn't thinking they would only host a race every other year, I was thinking they'd host a race each year, but it might alternate being the USGP or the GP of America. That way it's an F1 race each year, but a different "event" so the competitive selection process is more convincing.
New aerial image from COTA. Shows paving on the main road through the facility, turn 2 bleachers up, some natural parking areas defined, and those super expensive RV sites. Speaking of RVs, some other RV options are supposedly getting the "official" OK to shuttle people back and forth to the track. There is this one: http://www.austinracerentals.com/listings/camping-rv-parking-across-from-the-circuit-of-the-americas/ Where the owner confirmed on facebook that he has received a shuttle permit from COTA. Then there is this site. The site just went live today, yesterday it was a placeholder page: http://www.grandprixrvparking.com/ Image Unavailable, Please Login
See if you can pull the Electrical Riser Diagram out of Plan Check... SRTMike is SURE it needs a substation!
Well, in all fairness, they did build a grid substation.... it just wasn't as big a deal as he made it out to be, then again, are they ever really that big a deal' Those two grid patterns on the left side of the aerial = site for the solar panels?? I know they're putting some in, just not how many.
