Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 Race Track - Page 4

Mdlx · #61 Posted **Jul 20, 2010, 2:31 AM**

Hope they do something online for those of us without a TV

I would love to hear some new information.

Jdawgboy · #62 Posted **Jul 20, 2010, 3:05 AM**

Okay well they did not announce the location, but they did have an interview with the State Comptroller. They mentioned sometime next week the announcement on where it will be. They did say construction would start in Dec and should be complete by June 2012, I would assume the event will take place in the Fall.

hookem · #63 Posted **Jul 20, 2010, 6:52 AM**

Here is the link to the KVUE story:

http://www.kvue.com/news/Texas-Compt...-98796709.html

It's going to be a painful wait until the December construction date. I think she mentions something about the European designers being here before that, like as soon as next month. Hopefully they will release the design sooner, maybe even along with the location announcement.

bluedogok · #64 Posted **Jul 21, 2010, 1:16 AM**

In other reports Tilke already has an office setup here and they have been in/out of town a bunch already.

ATXboom · #65 Posted **Jul 22, 2010, 2:01 PM**

...Pretty confusing but I can see why keeping things so mum is critical to the business plan...

http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin...l?surround=lfn

Tavo to ESPN: F1 track going NE of downtown Austin
Austin Business Journal - by Jacob Dirr Staff Writer

In an ESPN article published online Wednesday, Austin Formula One race promoter Tavo Hellmund seemingly debunked rumors that his track is planned in Elroy, Texas, which is southeast of Austin.

The sports network quoted him saying the track is “east and a little bit north” of downtown Austin.

If true, the land could be connected to about 2,000 acres Austin plans to annex just east of Walter E. Long lake, in the Whisper Valley Area....

Spaceman · #66 Posted **Jul 22, 2010, 10:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATXboom

...Pretty confusing but I can see why keeping things so mum is critical to the business plan...

http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin...l?surround=lfn

Tavo to ESPN: F1 track going NE of downtown Austin
Austin Business Journal - by Jacob Dirr Staff Writer

In an ESPN article published online Wednesday, Austin Formula One race promoter Tavo Hellmund seemingly debunked rumors that his track is planned in Elroy, Texas, which is southeast of Austin.

The sports network quoted him saying the track is “east and a little bit north” of downtown Austin.

If true, the land could be connected to about 2,000 acres Austin plans to annex just east of Walter E. Long lake, in the Whisper Valley Area....

Wouldn't the Hill Country be the perfect site....Imagine a track the looked like HWY 1431 between 183 and Jonestown ...That area trully is the essence of the area...Sweeping turns and very fast...Like the great old courses in Europe.

kingkirbythe.... · #67 Posted **Jul 23, 2010, 2:20 AM**

Good for the track, terrible for the Hill Country.

Mikey711MN · #68 Posted **Jul 23, 2010, 2:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATXboom

The sports network quoted him saying the track is “east and a little bit north” of downtown Austin.

If true, the land could be connected to about 2,000 acres Austin plans to annex just east of Walter E. Long lake, in the Whisper Valley Area....

If they're looking to get a taste of Hill Country yet not pay for Hill Country real estate, that's probably the best guess.

Wasn't that where the once master-planned new government campus was? That's a lot of available space not far from the city.

That all said, I'll believe it when the contractor starts turning dirt and not before...something just seems overly secretive about all this.

Samwill89 · #69 Posted **Jul 23, 2010, 4:17 AM**

Too bad our transit and hotel infrastructure is a joke, especially compared to the regions where many will be traveling from. If there is any reason why F1 will not do so well in Austin, it will be because of this.

The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that NYC would have been a superior location.

Still, I am very excited for this and have even ventured into prospective real estate because of this news.

ATXboom · #70 Posted **Jul 23, 2010, 1:56 PM**

No doubt the hills of west austin would be the best topography for a track and put it in world class status. I imagine finding large enough parcels that aren't protected and that are "cheap" enought to create an F1 business model around are the reasons it would never be considered.

RE mass transit. I agree on hotel infrastructure however the site in NY isn't in uber close proximity to NYC. Both events would be more a kin to a nascar event... people would not be taking trains/buses to events in either case. I love the city courses where you can take trains though... I've been to the Singapore event running right through the heart of the city. Pretty darn cool.

Mopacs · #71 Posted **Jul 26, 2010, 4:44 PM**

F1 track location expected to be announced tomorrow. Update from KXAN's website:

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/sports/f1-tr...cted-this-week

austin242 · #72 Posted **Jul 26, 2010, 7:58 PM**

I just got to thinking. They want to build Rail to the Airport Right, well if this gets built near the airport which it is supposed to do I have a feeling this will help a line get built.

Mopacs · #73 Posted **Jul 27, 2010, 1:30 PM**

Looks like the site of the track has been identified. This is the location that was discussed few weeks back.

Quote:

Future F1 site revealed

Plot southeast of Austin no longer set for housing.

By Shonda Novak AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Organizers of the proposed Austin Formula One auto race plan to build the track on about 900 acres near Elroy in southeastern Travis County, according to one of the major land owners involved.

The organizers have called a news conference for 10 a.m. today to announce the site, a key financial backer and other details . The press event will include Tavo Hellmund, who has been working for more than two years to bring the high-profile race to Austin.

Most of the land was previously planned for a residential subdivision called Wandering Creek. It is land with rolling hills and a small lake, north of FM 812, south and west of Elroy Road and east of Texas 130....

http://www.statesman.com/business/fu...ed-825045.html

...............................

Location:

hookem · #74 Posted **Jul 27, 2010, 7:27 PM**

The press conference was pretty lackluster, but much more important than the site announcement was the presence of Red McCombs. Him, along with some apparent UT connection (DeLoss Dodds at the press conference) and the state government blessing, is practically money in the bank. They will have no problem getting $300M in private investment, if they haven't already.

It would take something pretty big to mess this up now. The City of Austin couldn't stand in the way if they wanted to, not with UT and the state govt behind the project. Money will not be a problem. Land acquisition and road improvements will not be a problem. Construction slowdowns (for reasons other than weather) are unlikely. Only a change in heart by F1 or Red could probably derail it at this point.

ATXboom · #75 Posted **Jul 27, 2010, 9:45 PM**

Hopefully this will force local and state leaders to move more quickly on the 71/183 interchange building 71 into a non stop freeway all the way to 130... Completing 183 north from there to 290 would be ideal as well.

MichaelB · #76 Posted **Jul 28, 2010, 5:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by orderlychaos

Good for the track, terrible for the Hill Country.

agreed. ( that is all I wanted to say but I have to have 10 characters.)

Spaceman · #77 Posted **Jul 28, 2010, 6:45 PM**

The location issue has been resolved...It's not in the hill country...would have been ideal location but it didn't happen....

Samwill89 · #78 Posted **Jul 29, 2010, 1:53 AM**

With confidence, I can state my belief that this thread should be stickied eventually. As 2012 approaches, there will be many more announcements, construction updates, launches, etc.

I had reservations about this until recently. Now I am as excited as anyone. Looking forward to what may help spur the next building boom in Austin (and the region's southeastern quarter, including Bastrop).

wwmiv · #79 Posted **Jul 29, 2010, 2:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samwill89

With confidence, I can state my belief that this thread should be stickied eventually.

Agreed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samwill89

Looking forward to what may help spur the next building boom in Austin (and the region's southeastern quarter, including Bastrop).

Hotels. Hotels. Hotels. Hopefully all downtown.
More hotels means a more successful consumer shopping market downtown. 2nd Street will thrive.
Perhaps they'll extend the urban rail route past the airport to the site? That wouldn't just be a good idea, it'd be a great one. Also, is there any information about potential HSR station sites? ...or is that all speculative for now. It would be better for the city for it to be centrally located, but is that really possible? A nice location near the airport and connected to the urban rail line would also be optimal.
This race will be awesome for the economy in every way.

wwmiv · #80 Posted **Jul 29, 2010, 2:26 PM**

The name of the thread, if stickied, should be shortened though.