Race Questions on Race Day | Las Vegas Advisor

I know you've had a number of questions about the Formula 1 race, but I have to add one more – or my brain will explode.

We just got back from a week at our timeshare on Koval next to the Sphere, where we've happily stayed during the last week of October for over 20 years to participate in a senior men’s baseball tournament. What a nightmare! It didn’t matter if it was noon or midnight. It didn’t matter if we were walking or driving. You couldn’t get there from here.

When we first arrived, it took us 25 minutes to get from I-15 to Koval for what should have been a 7- to 10-minute drive. And this was after we heeded your warning about Flamingo being closed off and took Spring Mountain instead. We'd already decided to walk to shows at the Wynn and Harrah’s to avoid the parking fees. But even walking was an incredible challenge, because of the fences and barricades erected in the middle of Koval, and even walking time was significantly increased. And if you’re driving, there's a traffic jam on every nearby street, regardless of the time of day or night.

My questions:

Who thought it was a good idea to disrupt the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of businesses, thousands of employees, and hundreds of thousands of visitors for months and months, so some rich people could enjoy three days of racing and festivities? Were they elected officials and if so, why haven’t they been recalled or voted out of office? If not, how were they able to make such a momentous decision without input from affected citizens and businesses? How do employees who work in the area survive having to add hours of time to their commute just to get to work? Will these barricades, fences, bridges, barrels, cones, etc. be removed after the race is over? Is this a yearly event and will all the barricades and fences come up again in future years?

Are we there yet? Are we having fun yet? Will the fun never end?

Are you as tired of QoDs and Vegas News items and Couponomy columns about F1 as we are?

We thought so.

Well, you can take heart, at least a little. The race is tonight. Of course, unlike New Year's Eve when the Strip shuts down for the evening, is cleaned up by morning, and reopens like nothing happened, the aftermath of F1 will slog on for ... we're about to find out how long. But at least we will be on the downhill segment of the spectacle. We'll still have to track the traffic beast, but things will be getting back to "normal" and we'll have the first-year's experience in the rear-view mirror, so we'll know better what to expect next year, and the year after, and the year after, and the year after ...

Meanwhile, this is one of the rare QoDs when the questions essentially answer themselves.

We can say this. We've been reporting about how average Las Vegans, Strip-and-vicinity employees, and visitors (especially those like you who've found themselves right in the belly of the beast) have had to suck it up and suffer through all the mishegas over the past many months.

As for who thought it was a good idea, we're reminded of one of Three Dog Night's best songs, "Family of Man," which starts with the line, "This tired city was somebody's dream." (If you haven't heard it for a while, have a listen; it's a great tune and really sums up the current Vegas landscape.)

We don't know exactly who that "somebody" was, but we suspect that Liberty Media, which has been dreaming of a Grand Prix in Las Vegas since it bought Formula One in 2017, approached the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which never met a money-making opportunity it didn't like. With the LVCVA and of course the drooling casinos onboard, the Clark County Commissioners rubberstamped the race and not only for this year, but for the next nine -- a situation that some observers have found curious. Wouldn't our elected officials want to see how the first year went before committing to a decade's worth of them? Obviously not.

As for voting them out of office, that opportunity has yet to present itself. No county commissioners were up for reelection this year. And the LVCVA executive and board members aren't elected.

Finally, yes, as we say, this -- barricades, fences, bridges, barrels, cones, race, etc. -- will happen every year through at least 2032, so you might want to reconsider attending your baseball tournament in the future.

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Comments

David Miller Nov-18-2023

Microcosm of the Past 2+ Years

   This whole event reminds me of how the DemocRat party has screwed America - the people in charge could not care less how their decisions affect others as they have completely changed what was in effect and working in order to pursue their misguided agenda. Peoples lives, businesses, and way of live have been altered without any concern on the part of those who made the decision to do what they have done. There will be lies stated about what a "success" this event was, while everyone affected will know as they suffer that this decision has completely changed Vegas for the worse. Heads should roll and this fiasco should be written off for what it is - a disaster.

Kevin Rough Nov-18-2023

Uggh

I think I know where this timeshare is.  I believe it is the same one I own at.  It was bad in May.  I can't even imagine how it is now.

kafka45 Nov-18-2023

oh please

Gimme a break on how ONE party has screwed America.. say both and its ok.  This constant whining when both sides are at fault gets real old...  Goebbels set the bar and it still applies.

Ted Born Nov-18-2023

FU, F1

The title says it all.

MannyB007 Nov-18-2023

One Less

I usually visit Vegas each season. This definitely will reduce my visits to Vegas at least by once a year. What a crap show this has been!

Toni Armstrong Jr. Nov-18-2023

Downtown instead

I am so glad that in recent years I have settled exclusively into staying and playing downtown. The way The Strip has been corporatized (we all have watched the steady flow of outrageous price gouging and removal of uniqueness) has been enough to drive me away. Downtown offers value, plus thriving art, music, and neighborhood scenes. The F1 decisions just cement my lack of interest in returning to The Strip. I know I'm not alone. I hear others talking about locals casinos now in a way they never did.

Texas Transplant Nov-18-2023

Sounds like is will be a bust...GOOD!

Having experienced the traffic and other problems caused by the F1 race preparations, and reading the news, I am glad that it may "crash and burn"...(NOT the cars, but everyone who was pushing for this and hopefully lose money.)

IMHO it will be brought down by poor planning, greed, and particularly arrogance of all the parties who approved this or thought it would be another good way to squeeze every nickle out of visitors. 

Wouldn't hurt for a dose of hard reality to hit the Las Vegas decision makers.  Many pissed off people because of this.  Wouldn't be surprised if there was a major County Commissioner  turnover at the next election.

James Mason Nov-18-2023

Visiting on November 25

I will comment on the ability to get around as I have a time share on Koval,the same on being commented on.

O2bnVegas Nov-18-2023

Miami's F1

Somehow I awoke around 11 PM CST, clicked to ESPN and saw 'coverage' (not sure what year it was...couldn't stay awake that long) of an F1 held in Miami. What little I managed to stay awake for, 'they' were not reluctant in emphasizing that an F1 event is held absolutely, totally, exclusively, no other purpose than entertainment of the wealthiest of the wealthy on the planet.  They had lovely footage of the grandstand type facilities all over which showed no hint of any kind of inconvenience to anyone; the high end clubs and other eateries where females wore the highest of the high fashion duds, etc.

I'm set to tape tonights ESPN coverage of the Vegas F1.  Just in case there is something of interest, plus I can fast forward through or exit/erase it altogether.

Candy

Doug P. Nov-18-2023

Not missing the Strip

Visited in August, stayed off Strip. Knew enough to avoid the Strip. Tried driving near there just once and that was enough. Can’t imagine how locals have put up with this for so long. And they are gonna do it again every year? The Strip casinos have been seeing how much they can gouge their customers while delivering less and less. I guess this is more of the same.

Hoppy Nov-18-2023

Take back the Strip

Move over, F1.

Raymond Nov-18-2023

What Do You Think?

I usually spend a week around Christmas in Las Vegas.  Two days downtown, the rest at a couple of hotels on the Strip.

Given the congestion and inconvenience, I wonder if I should go elsewhere this year, or perhaps spend some time downtown and some in the "outlying" areas such as Summerlin, Henderson, etc.?  I welcome your opinions.

BTW--David Miller--To use a phrase I used back when I was in the corporate world, when things went really badly, "It was a group effort."  Neither major party has anything to brag about.

David Miller Nov-18-2023

Raymond, BTW

Pre covid there was plenty to brag about, 2 1/2+ plus years later, not so much. Facts are facts , the truth is the truth - and it is only getting worse daily.

Bob Little Nov-18-2023

question

wasn't there a Caesars Palace Grand Prix in 1983 also.

Scott Waller Nov-18-2023

Chill Out

So fed up with the bitching and moaning about F1.   Enjoy the spectacle like us!

Question of the Day - 18 November 2023

Comments