Circuit of the Americas Development Updates

[turn1]

Provisional USGP weekend schedule of events:

Thanks JRaymond!

[KevinFromTexas]

If those numbers are accurate, that's going to initiate an expansion at ABIA. What was the threshold for a new phase of expansion at ABIA?

[turn1]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

If those numbers are accurate, that's going to initiate an expansion at ABIA. What was the threshold for a new phase of expansion at ABIA?

Maybe. Do you think those numbers are accurate?


Saturday's schedule above looks a little funny.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by turn1

Maybe. Do you think those numbers are accurate?


Saturday's schedule above looks a little funny.

When you avg the attendance of each racing event, it seems plausible,
Grande Am 75K per day
MotoGP 55K per day
V8 Supercars 100K per day

There does seem to be some scheduling overlap for Saturday...

[turn1]

Originally Posted by the Genral

When you avg the attendance of each racing event, it seems plausible,
Grande Am 75K per day
MotoGP 55K per day
V8 Supercars 100K per day

Do Moto GP, Grand Am, & the V8s average these kinds of numbers?

The Moto GP weekend is only 3 days, so that average would have to be 75K per day.

COTA apparently is saying that Grand Am and the V8s will pull the same crowds as the F1 event.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by turn1

Do Moto GP, Grand Am, & the V8s average these kinds of numbers?

The Moto GP weekend is only 3 days, so that average would have to be 75K per day.

COTA apparently is saying that Grand Am and the V8s will pull the same crowds as the F1 event.

I believe those are fairly accurate. Those numbers would include not just fan attendance, but all the people involved with the race, families of people (not all may be race fans), plus other people coming here for the satellite events. There will be concerts and other things going on during the race weekends that would be connected to the races.

[turn1]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I believe those are fairly accurate. Those numbers would include not just fan attendance, but all the people involved with the race, families of people (not all may be race fans), plus other people coming here for the satellite events. There will be concerts and other things going on during the race weekends that would be connected to the races.

No way.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by turn1

Do Moto GP, Grand Am, & the V8s average these kinds of numbers?

The Moto GP weekend is only 3 days, so that average would have to be 75K per day.

COTA apparently is saying that Grand Am and the V8s will pull the same crowds as the F1 event.

my math was off on Moto GP when I said 55K but I think all the projected attendance numbers are skewed higher than the actuals will be. Since all these races are inaugural they must be relying on race attendance averages at other venues to estimate attendance at COTA. We'll see how close their numbers are with the ticket sales.

Jdawgboy, i'm pretty sure the attendance numbers represent race ticket holders only. These numbers are important for logistic planning. I'm guessing you added attendees to events associated with the races but away from the track, like downtown. If there is a concert at the track, if you don't have a race ticket, you probably aren't going to see it.

[turn1]

We just got the USGP Paddock Club event schedule...with Historics in the lineup. Saturday schedule is fixed, too:

[turn1]

Originally Posted by the Genral

my math was off on Moto GP when I said 55K

Not really your fault. The article said it would be 4 days while quoting the dates that show it's 3.

Jdawgboy, i'm pretty sure the attendance numbers represent race ticket holders only. These numbers are important for logistic planning. I'm guessing you added attendees to events associated with the races but away from the track, like downtown. If there is a concert at the track, if you don't have a race ticket, you probably aren't going to see it.

I think some series show attendance as everyone who is on the grounds during the event day, and some show paid attendance only. I know some V8 Supercars events have been criticized for including everyone. Either way, the differences shouldn't be that significant....and I don't think there's a conceivable way to spin the numbers to get Grand AM or V8s (as event headliners) to 300K for the event weekend, esp Grand Am.

[hookem]

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/t...in-form/nSm9b/

“Now the teachers win when F1 makes money and when new dollars come into our state as a result of the Grand Prix,” said Circuit of the Americas Chairman Bobby Epstein.

In its statement, TRS emphasized that it was investing in Formula One, not in any sports facilities, including the new circuit in southeastern Travis County where the F1 race will be run.

See, now when you are against COTA receiving state taxpayer money, you are against teachers. And when you are against teachers, you are against education. And when you are against education, you are against the children. So, how dare you pick on innocent children.

Pretty slick!

[turn1]

Check out this aerial video of COTA. By far the best yet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=5t8AiaeJnqo

[turn1]

...and here's an unlisted YouTube video Alex Gurney in the Gainsco Corvette Daytona Prototype...probably the best sequence of COTA laps yet on video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=WT6bYVb0CBk

[turn1]

New night photos from Vance: Circuit of the Americas at night, with new color-changing LED tower lighting:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7614878&type=1

[turn1]

In other news, the Historics will race on Saturday in Austin rather than Sunday:

http://www.formula1.com/races/in_det...timetable.html

2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX
Note - please be advised that this timetable is subject to change.

Thursday 15th November
Formula One Press Conference - Press Room 11:00

Friday 16th November
Formula One Practice 1 09:00 - 10:30
HGP Practice Session 11:00 - 11:30
Formula One Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 11:30 - 12:30
Formula One Practice 2 13:00 - 14:30
Ferrari Challenge Practice Session 15:00 - 15:45
Formula One Press Conference - Press Room 15:00 - 16:00
Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA West Practice Session 16:15 - 16:45

Saturday 17th November
Formula One Team Pit Stop Practice 07:00 - 07:40
Formula One Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 07:00 - 07:40
Ferrari Challenge Qualifying Session 07:45 - 08:15
Formula One Practice 3 09:00 - 10:00
HGP Qualifying Session 10:30 - 11:00
Formula One Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 11:05 - 11:40
Formula One Qualifying 12:00
Ferrari Challenge First Race (10 Laps or 25 Mins) 13:30 - 14:00
Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA West Qualifying Session 14:30 - 14:50
HGP Race (14 Laps or 30 Mins) 15:20 - 15:55

Sunday 18th November
Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA West First Race (10 Laps or 25 Mins) 09:30 - 10:00
Ferrari Challenge Second Race (10 Laps or 25 Minutes) 10:30 - 11:00
Formula One Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 11:05 - 12:15
Formula One Formula One Drivers Parade 11:30
Formula One Starting Grid Presentation 11:45 - 12:15
Formula One National Anthem 12:46
Formula One Race 13:00

...and Alexander Rossi will be at the wheel of the Caterham during Friday Practice:

http://blog.roadandtrack.com/america...abroad-racing/

ETA: In 2 tweets to me just now, Alexander Rossi says a USGP announcement indicated in the Road & Track story never happened, that the article is untrue, and that he never submitted such a quote. More info as we get it.

@AlexanderRossi: @Austin_F1 I do not know where this information has come from, but as there has been no announcement, please remove this from the press ASAP

@AlexanderRossi: @Austin_F1 I also have not submitted or approved that quote and do not know where this false information has come from. Thank you.

@Austin_F1: @AlexanderRossi It's not from us. It's from Road & Track Mag's blog. bit.ly/VBeqS2 I have no way to remove that.

[turn1]

About a week ago, we got word & posted on our FB page that Stadium People was telling its employees they wouldn't be needed for events surrounding the Formula Run event planned for this Saturday at COTA. RunTex and the Statesman quickly responded that the run itself had not been cancelled and was to proceed as planned. We then thought Stadium People might be referring to the Open House we'd been hearing about for some time. Looks like that was it. If any of you had plans to attend that event, the Open House has been cancelled. No certificate of compliance for the Main GS:

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/a...ll-permits-yet

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...ut-some/nSsj2/

Posted: 4:01 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012
Austin-area hotels filling up for F1 week, but some rooms still available

By Gary Dinges
American-Statesman Staff

Fear not, procrastinating race fans. With Austin’s inaugural Formula One race just two weeks away, some Austin-area hotels still have rooms available for the race weekend of Nov. 16-18.

bout 26,500 room nights had been booked through the site as of Monday, Goldman said, with the average reservation running about 4.16 days and an average nightly rate of $366.44.

Visitors heading to town shouldn’t dawdle much longer, though, Goldman said. He estimated about 80 to 85 percent of the region’s hotel rooms have already been reserved.

The cheapest rate available on the circuit’s website Wednesday afternoon was $79 for a room at a Holiday Inn Express in Northwest San Antonio, near Sea World. The priciest rooms were at the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel in downtown Austin, which was charging $919 per night.

[turn1]

COTA photos with 14 days until FP1:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7614878&type=1

[turn1]

Since the COTA room block contracts began expiring, rooms have been slowly released back to the market. There are now 221 hotels with availability for Friday through Monday, starting at $156 in San Marcos and $234 in Austin.

http://www.hotels.com/search/search....=USD&r=2&cpr=0

Contrary to the hype, Austin was never sold out of hotel rooms. Thousands of rooms that were blocked for months are finally now being put on the market. Also, someone convinced the hotel industry here that price is no object to the typical F1 fan and that they would rapidly sell their inventory even if grossly overpriced. They also apparently were told that there will be 300K individual people descending on Austin for the race weekend. Judging from conversations I've had recently about preparations they're making, it would seem that many in the service industry still believe this. No distinction is being made between 300K total attendance and 300K individual people coming to Austin.

The 300K number is also an exaggeration. COTA itself is telling city departments and COTA employees and volunteers in training to expect 210K to 250K total attendance (40-50K on Friday, 60-80K on Saturday, and 110-120K on Saturday). Those numbers are much more realistic, imho.

[turn1]

We heard a while back that the Turn 1 GS is being reconfigured & they've removed some sections due to low sales there. Now some fans in that GS are telling us that their tickets have been relocated to other sections there. Haven't seen any construction work on it in 3 or 4 weeks. They should still be able to get it done, but they seem to be waiting until the last minute on that one while every other GS looks done. Here's a shot of the T1 GS that Vance took yesterday: