Circuit of the Americas Development Updates - Page 47

nixcity · #**921** Posted **Jun 24, 2012, 2:55 PM**

^wouldnt they have to put an elevator or at least ramps to meet up to standards set for those that are handicapped???

hookem · #**922** Posted **Jun 24, 2012, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nixcity

^wouldnt they have to put an elevator or at least ramps to meet up to standards set for those that are handicapped???

Yeah, I suspect the F1 VIPs will demand that too. Bernie's not walking up any stairs. To me it looks like there is a central elevator core, even in the video.

the Genral · #**923** Posted **Jun 25, 2012, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

Eh...OK, not that it's helped y'all much.

So, when did y'all start that "squeeze" thing? Does it help?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMmhnqUXseE

I like the Aggies, but I don't know what the hell that's all about. Maybe they have to see how long they can endure hot sauce on their balls...taking it for the TEAM!!!

turn1 · #**924** Posted **Jun 25, 2012, 2:57 PM**

AutoWeek's Steven Cole Smith:

Winterbottom in Austin tomorrow for big V8 Supercars announcement tomorrow at COTA? Race date? Jack Daniels to sponsor race?

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...ORTS/120629890

BevoLJ · #**925** Posted **Jun 25, 2012, 7:43 PM**

In this new video they uploaded a few hours ago they have a part about the V8 Supercars.

• Video Link

hookem · #**926** Posted **Jun 25, 2012, 8:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

In this new video they uploaded a few hours ago they have a part about the V8 Supercars.

Wow those V8 supercars blow up real good!

The video is interesting.. kinda like saying, "We're not guaranteeing a bunch of crashes, but... you'll see a bunch of crashes!"

Jdawgboy · #**927** Posted **Jun 25, 2012, 9:33 PM**

Makes you wonder about the driver in that car that blew up though... One thing that concerns me is that they completely took out Moto GP which now brings up the likelihood that we will not be seeing Moto GP at COTA at least not anytime soon. It will be a big mistake if they brush Moto GP aside.

The quality of the commentary on the F1 part is not as good as before its too quiet.

hookem · #**928** Posted **Jun 25, 2012, 9:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Makes you wonder about the driver in that car that blew up though... One thing that concerns me is that they completely took out Moto GP which now brings up the likelihood that we will not be seeing Moto GP at COTA at least not anytime soon. It will be a big mistake if they brush Moto GP aside.

The signs at the construction site have MotoGP covered up now, too. The word is they'll have a 2 wheel series, if not MotoGP then WSBK. Although I agree it would be a shame if they abandoned MotoGP, because it's got such good local/Texas connections with Schwantz. Plus he'd bring the riding school.

Downtown_Austin · #**929** Posted **Jun 26, 2012, 2:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookem

The signs at the construction site have MotoGP covered up now, too. The word is they'll have a 2 wheel series, if not MotoGP then WSBK. Although I agree it would be a shame if they abandoned MotoGP, because it's got such good local/Texas connections with Schwantz. Plus he'd bring the riding school.

Losing MotoGP would significantly reduce my interest in COTA. I know it's a smaller market, but MotoGP is leaps and bounds more fun to watch than F1, IMO.

turn1 · #**930** Posted **Jun 26, 2012, 6:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookem

The signs at the construction site have MotoGP covered up now, too. The word is they'll have a 2 wheel series, if not MotoGP then WSBK. Although I agree it would be a shame if they abandoned MotoGP, because it's got such good local/Texas connections with Schwantz. Plus he'd bring the riding school.

Yep, COTA has been free for some time to deal with Schwantz for his MotoGP rights. Hellmund stepped out of that deal a little bit after the lawsuit was settled. But COTA seem to not want MotoGP and seem content to sign WSBK instead. Schwantz has publicly stated a couple of times now that he hasn't even been approached for a deal.

turn1 · #**931** Posted **Jun 26, 2012, 6:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

In this new video they uploaded a few hours ago they have a part about the V8 Supercars.

That's a COTA video spliced to a Supercars video. Can't speak for the Supercars video, but the COTA video is two years old. They showed the same one to us at the initial press conference at the AT&T Conference Center at UT, and they've practically worn it out since then.

ETA: It just occurred to me...walking into that meeting we figured a title sponsor announcement might be imminent. Walking out, we figured it would be soon, and with so heavy an AT&T & Williams F1 flavor to the press conference, it would likely be AT&T.

Two years later, still not a single sponsor.

turn1 · #**932** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 2:45 AM**

Exclusive video: Mark Winterbottom takes a go at @circuitamericas T11. Doubt it's the best, but it's the first

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=440583322643155

Travis County Commissioners vote down employee trip to British GP:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=440731915961629

OSHA Investigates COTA subcontractor for lack of breaks & drinking water in 105F heat:

http://www.kvue.com/news/OSHA-Invest...160323315.html

Circuit of the Americas secures land to extend Kellam Road to Pearce Lane:

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...d-2404742.html

turn1 · #**933** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 3:43 AM**

Here's the Statesman's video from Mark Winterbottom's tour of COTA today:

http://bcove.me/wvx2xy67

turn1 · #**934** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 4:55 PM**

Today's aerial view of COTA:

turn1 · #**935** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 9:02 PM**

...and here's the latest aerial from COTA:

More photos at: http://circuitoftheamericas.com/arti...ruction-update

Jdawgboy · #**936** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 9:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

Exclusive video: Mark Winterbottom takes a go at @circuitamericas T11. Doubt it's the best, but it's the first

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=440583322643155

Travis County Commissioners vote down employee trip to British GP:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=440731915961629

OSHA Investigates COTA subcontractor for lack of breaks & drinking water in 105F heat:

http://www.kvue.com/news/OSHA-Invest...160323315.html

Circuit of the Americas secures land to extend Kellam Road to Pearce Lane:

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...d-2404742.html

Wow, really with the county commissioners?! That trip would have been paid for by COTA. They are IDIOTS!!! They want to have the week of F1 TO FAIL so they can say well we told you so. No thanks Travis County commissioners, its YOU who FAILD US. Id say its time to start a recall petition to all the naysayers.

The ATX · #**937** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 9:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Wow, really with the county commissioners?! That trip would have been paid for by COTA. They are IDIOTS!!! They want to have the week of F1 TO FAIL so they can say well we told you so. No thanks Travis County commissioners, its YOU who FAILD US. Id say its time to start a recall petition to all the naysayers.

They only voted that way to avoid looking like like they are COTA puppets. The F1 Track became a a political hot button and that won't change. Once COTA pulls off a successful race the haters will start to fade. There will always be a vocal minority of people who hate change and development. But who cares?

hookem · #**938** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 11:42 PM**

New images of the tower base from CoTA. The base doesn't really look like any of the renderings (although there are none of the tower close up, only that video). So it might be a surprise how it actually ends up looking.

(from CoTA June Construction update)

hookem · #**939** Posted **Jun 27, 2012, 11:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hill Country

They only voted that way to avoid looking like like they are COTA puppets. The F1 Track became a a political hot button and that won't change. Once COTA pulls off a successful race the haters will start to fade. There will always be a vocal minority of people who hate change and development. But who cares?

I agree, but in this case there were only 4 commissioners so Huber made the difference. She's a democrat and usually a pretty good one on these kinds of votes, but she's up for re-election against republican Gerald Dougherty this November in what will be a tough election. The precinct includes Westlake, the western burbs, and SW Austin, so it's not necessarily friendly for democrats although she beat Doughtery in the previous election in '08. Nov 2012 will be a high turnout for republicans because of the presidential race, so she'll have a tough time.

All that to say, basically, that she can't give Doughtery campaign material by voting for what would surely be called an F1 junket.

I believe they could have just directed the managers to use their discretion to decide whether they need to visit a location, and leave the decision of where and when to go to them. That's what they probably will do now. The payment arrangements can be handled internally, it doesn't rise to the level that the commissioner's court would have to authorize. CoTA probably shouldn't have publicly offered to pay, because even if they wanted to, it would have been better for them to let the county commissioners "demand" that they pay... then no political problem

KevinFromTexas · #**940** Posted **Jun 28, 2012, 4:12 AM**

So after the county declined, the city accepted the offer.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...r-2405570.html

Quote:

F1 officials to pay for mayor, city manager to travel to London race; city to pay for 4 more

By Farzad Mashhood
Updated: 9:29 p.m. Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Published: 9:25 p.m. Wednesday, June 27, 2012

A day after Travis County commissioners turned down a similar offer, the American-Statesman learned that a cadre of high-level Austin officials will be going to England next week to observe arrangements for a Formula One event there, and local race organizers are paying for part of the trip.

Mayor Lee Leffingwell, City Manager Marc Ott, Police Chief Art Acevedo and Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr are among the six city officials who will travel to London on July 5-9 in what critics are calling a junket.

City and race officials said it will be an educational trip during which they will learn from observing a race and its preparations firsthand.