Formula 1 Plans to Leave Las Vegas Less Irritated in 2023
In response to the significant opposition faced for the disruptions caused by their first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix last year, F1 plans to improve its race preparations for the second time.
"We won't be experiencing the same level of disruption this year regarding track construction as we did last year," Brian Yost, COO of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, told The Racer blog on Thursday.
The backlash against F1 includes a $50,000 lawsuit filed in April by the off-Strip casino, Ellis Island, and a Change.org petition launched earlier this month by six businesses claiming $30 million in lost revenue due to F1's conversion of the most popular tourist route in the US into a raceway.
With 2,702 signatures to date, the petition urges Clark County to deny F1 a special use permit to close streets for the race "until a fair and unobtrusive plan can be made to host this event without shutting down the Las Vegas Strip."
Race for Improvement
Despite claims that the 2023 Grand Prix injected $1.5 billion into the Las Vegas economy, most of that money went to F1 and billionaire-owned casino companies, who are more likely to share their share of profits with their upper management rather than their casino employees.
At the same time, thousands of off-Strip casinos, over a dozen small businesses within the track, and hundreds of thousands of tourists and casino workers all lost money and time during F1's six-month preparation process that closed Las Vegas Boulevard.
Yost also guaranteed that alternative routes to minimize race disruptions would be better communicated in advance of this year's event.
"This year, this communication will be even more enhanced," he said. "Whether it's towards the general public, hotel guests, or the more than 120,000 men and women working on Las Vegas Boulevard, we will make sure the word is out."
A detailed community and communication plan is expected to be announced next month.
Emily Prazer, F1's chief commercial officer, believes the collaboration of many casino stakeholders, such as Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, and Wynn Resorts, ensures the race has the financial capabilities to improve its efficiency in its second year.
She states, "We've essentially proven the logistics side of things. Now, we need to shorten the time it takes us to build things, which we're working on, with the support of everyone present here."
The second annual Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled for November 21-23 and will feature a Saturday evening race, as it did in 2023.
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