Don't mark those calendars just yet. I can't imagine anyone involved wanting to separate the two NA races on the calendar but ... US GP Could Push For Later 2012 Date (Speed staff / GMM Newswire)
Right, and they'll have to move it a few months to make any real difference. Then either the Canada race will need to be moved as well or the entire circus will have to make two separate trips to NA. I'd say odds are slightly in favor of leaving it alone. Wouldn't be surprised though if the USGP organizers push based on this excuse knowing they'll gain a few more months to get the track ready.
You just have to believe that before all the big checks were written and ground broken, that a date/time of the year that would be best and available for that location would have been discussed......... wouldn't they have?
Wimps! We did F1 in Phoenix on the summer solstice the first year (1987?)... You could cook stuff on the track that weekend. Like people. Which we did! (Mostly Europeans who thought drinking heavily the night before working in the desert heat the next day was a good idea... They were dropping like flies.)
F1 organizers launch website, ads touting race benefits Austin Formula One organizers this morning launched a website and television ad touting the benefits of a racetrack under construction southeast of Austin and the races that are scheduled to begin in 2012. According to austinf1facts.com and the accompanying ads, Formula One will draw thousands of fans from around the world and millions of television viewers. It also says construction of the circuit has and will provide jobs. The website has links to photos, videos and more. The information comes from a report by Don Hoyte, who promoters hired to do an economic impact study, said Jeff Hahn, spokesman for Austin’s Formula One racing group. Hoyte is a former Texas comptroller’s office employee who now runs Texas Trust Funds, a private company that helps cities and counties get money from the Texas’ Major Event Trust Fund. The fund uses “extra†tax revenue attributable to fans’ spending to pay incentives to organizers of big-ticket events, such as the Super Bowl and All-Star games. F1 organizers are asking the Austin City Council to endorse the project, a legal step necessary to qualify for the $25 million annual state subsidy from the trust fund. The council could vote on endorsing the race as early as June 23. Critics say organizers have overestimated the economic impact F1 will have on Austin and question attendance and television viewing estimates. They also say public money should not be used to subsidize the private enterprise, especially during a state budget crunch. The ads began running on local network affiliates and cable channels this morning, Hahn said. Organizers plan to run them through next week, but that may be extended, he said. An ad in the American-Statesman is also planned, he said. “Formula One is a Super Bowl-level event coming to Austin,†Hahn said. “As big as it is around the world, it’s not well known in the States. We wanted to give people the facts directly connected to it, give them more information about it and the benefits it will bring to Austin.†Source - http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/racing/index.html
You know, I just have to say that while I agree with the gist of the report that it brings economic benefit to the area that asking tax payers (some who have ZERO interest in F1) to cough up money is total BS. If the report is true than why aren't these folks financially backing it??? The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau Austin Hotel and Lodging Association Alan
Agreed. Because those are all industry associations that have no capital for investment. That's like asking the PTA to pay for the building of new schools.
Hey.....this is the same thing cities with a major sport team have been doing since like forever. I do not support basketball or baseball teams but I am req'd to financially support them via the tax credits and incentives that they get. Why is this any different?
Hey....I agree. I hate it when those big-money team owners hold the home city hostage for tax breaks, a new stadium/venue and such. I would just hate to see this venue lose out while asking for the same thing that the other big sport teams have benefited from for years now.
There are good arguments for either side on these debates. While the economic impact of major sports can and often do more than make up for the public investment.....they don't always. My biggest concern about this particular project is the longevity of the event. F1 and Bernie have a history of moving on where the money blows them with little concern or loyalty for whence they came.... If the track in Texas is done right, it can and will have a positive impact on that economy...but to recoup the initial public investment will take more than a few races. It must be a success for a long time. 2cents.
I don't understand what this means but it looks like it might be some good news for TX taxpayers...maybe. New financial proposal for US Grand Prix (gpupdate.net)
Definitely a step in the right direction. The story as of this morning: Study projects large economic windfall from F1 race There is nothing like a budget crisis to turn a bunch of state bureaucrats into decent negotiators.
As much as I like the scenery, the food, the music and the nightlife, there's an effing reason I don't live in Austin ...