Privacy Screens on F1 Las Vegas Pedestrian Bridges Damaged
Someone is damaging the efforts of Formula 1 crews as they set up for the first Las Vegas Grand Prix in three weeks.
That's according to F1 and Clark County officials, who say these individuals are vandalizing their work. However, if you ask the "vandals," they'd tell you they simply removed an opaque grey film that obstructed the best public view of the MSG Sphere. So, they did what they set out to do - watch the Sphere's external display and take pictures with it.
Thousands of tourists daily stop on the bridge connecting the Palazzo and the Wynn across Sands Avenue to photograph the Sphere. But last week, "privacy screens" popped up on all pedestrian bridges that span what's quickly becoming the F1's racecourse.
These screens, like the film wrapping around cars, aren't tough to peel off once you make a slice.
"And they should!" tweeted @GasOff2. "Vegas has become a different city entirely, with this three-day event ruining our experience. Visitors come to Vegas for Vegas, and yet now there's an F1 backdrop in every picture. Who got paid off to allow this?"
Sidelining the Sphere
These screens are necessary, assert Clark County officials, for safety reasons. They claim that if the views of cars racing under the pedestrian bridges aren't blocked, thousands of people will congregate on the overpasses to watch the race. This, in turn, disrupts the safe flow of foot traffic across the bridges.
However, a user named ThatGuyNearby, sharing a widely-held sentiment on social media, believes the reasoning is less altruistic.
"They don't want poor people looking at them driving their cars," wrote ThatGuyNearby.
The most affordable way to watch the race is currently a three-day pass in the East Harmon Zone, listed on StubHub for $1,529.
Giving everyone a view of the Grand Prix racecourse has been a preoccupation of F1. In July, they allegedly demanded $1,500 per occupied seat from restaurants and nightclubs facing the track. If these venues didn't pay up, they could've found their views blocked by barricades and other impediments, including spotlights shone directly into their windows.
By the end of August, the demand was reportedly reduced to a flat fee of around $50K per venue.
Upcoming Changes
Deciding if removing the screens is vandalism or a protest, it's clear that some of F1's preparations for future races might be futile if initiated too soon. Also apparent is that there'll need to be security guards posted at each pedestrian bridge if the screens stay during the actual race.
Later on, the pedestrian bridges will also be fitted with roofs that prevent idlers from chucking objects onto the track below them.
The inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will happen at 10 p.m. on Saturday, November 18.
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Source: www.casino.org
