Circuit of the Americas Development Updates - Page 50

BevoLJ · #**981** Posted **Jul 31, 2012, 7:14 AM**

I don't know if they can ask for a donation or anything like that. lol. That may be getting a little to in the gray areas of politics. But seeing as how this is more than a matter of regular permits and they are asking to exceed current policy that was set up to protect the park, maybe someone could suggest to them that COTA getting Live Nation to match the C3 donation to upgrade the park might help things along for their approval of the shows.

KevinFromTexas · #**982** Posted **Jul 31, 2012, 8:25 AM**

The article mentions this would be only a one time thing since they'll no doubt want to have the following concerts at their amphitheatre at the COTA site. So I wonder if they'd even agree to that.

One thing I worry about is by them having the amphitheatre that it could drag some of the annual events to that location instead of at places like Zilker Park and Auditorium Shores. I LOVE Blues on the Green at Zilker and the free SXSW shows at Auditorium Shores. Having a concert out in the boonies just wouldn't be the same, and dare I say it, I'm not sure I'd be interested.

BevoLJ · #**983** Posted **Jul 31, 2012, 10:22 AM**

I doubt it. Those are all done by C3, while Live Nation is doing COTA. Although the Live Nation contract with COTA did leave a little bit of room for them to possibly work with C3 some in the future. I wouldn't bet on C3 moving any of their existing events.

And I can't imagine very many of those who attend Blues on the Green willing to go all the way out to COTA to catch a show. I mean what is so nice about it is many people can just walk or bike to the show, even some of the artist like Marcia Ball. lol.

And I also can't see any of the SXSW events happening out there either. I mean it is hard enough sorting shuttles for using Alamo South Lamar, and the AT&T Center @ UT, trying to figure out how to make COTA Amphitheater work would be a nightmare. Plus the most important part of SXSW is the parties where people can network. No one is going to go out to COTA and then miss their spot in a line for some sudden must attend party that just blew up on Twitter because they have to find a way back in time after the show.

KevinFromTexas · #**984** Posted **Jul 31, 2012, 2:54 PM**

I'm one of those die hard concert goers that gets there by bicycle. When I rode downtown for the fireworks display, I went to the Zilker Clubhouse. On the way back Barton Springs was naturally a parking lot. There was actual gridlock at Barton Springs and Riverside. And instead of sitting in traffic behind rows of cars which were puttering out smelly exhaust and heat, I followed two other bicycles and we rode down Barton Springs between the east bound lanes. I'm sure some drivers were thinking we were crazy since the traffic, buses and all, was moving some. Riding on the sidewalk was not an option since they were filled with pedestrians. Anyway, a traffic jam that would have taken an hour to get through by car took me maybe 10 minutes by bike.

The bike racks at ACL are always insanely full. I just about had trouble finding a place to lock up for the free SXSW show at Auditorium Shores last time. People were locking up their bikes to the railing overlooking the turtle pond at the Palmer Events Center. That's where I ended up locking up.

I like your avatar. It looks great.

KevinFromTexas · #**985** Posted **Jul 31, 2012, 6:47 PM**

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...7/31/county_seeking_road_near_f1_tr.html

Quote:

County seeks to build road near F1 track

By Farzad Mashhood | Tuesday, July 31, 2012, 11:49 AM

Travis County officials said today that they want to build an arterial road connecting Texas 71 to the eastern edge of the Formula One racetrack in Elroy as part of a 25-year regional transportation plan.

The commissioners court this morning unanimously approved recommending an amendment to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s 2035 Regional Transportation Plan to include the $48.7 million, 4-lane road that will stretch from Elroy Road and FM 812 about six miles north to Texas 71.

BevoLJ · #**986** Posted **Aug 1, 2012, 12:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I'm one of those die hard concert goers that gets there by bicycle. When I rode downtown for the fireworks display, I went to the Zilker Clubhouse. On the way back Barton Springs was naturally a parking lot. There was actual gridlock at Barton Springs and Riverside. And instead of sitting in traffic behind rows of cars which were puttering out smelly exhaust and heat, I followed two other bicycles and we rode down Barton Springs between the east bound lanes. I'm sure some drivers were thinking we were crazy since the traffic, buses and all, was moving some. Riding on the sidewalk was not an option since they were filled with pedestrians. Anyway, a traffic jam that would have taken an hour to get through by car took me maybe 10 minutes by bike.

The bike racks at ACL are always insanely full. I just about had trouble finding a place to lock up for the free SXSW show at Auditorium Shores last time. People were locking up their bikes to the railing overlooking the turtle pond at the Palmer Events Center. That's where I ended up locking up.

I like your avatar. It looks great.

Thank you.

And totally, the bikes at ACL are nuts! lol

Bikes of ACL by nutballa, on Flickr

ACL Bikes by BackAmp, on Flickr

hookem · #**987** Posted **Aug 8, 2012, 3:29 AM**

There is a really cool new helicopter video on the Friends of F1 Austin page:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=505957589418791

You can really see how fast the tower has risen.

Also, on the Miro Rivera facebook site, they mention that the elevator shaft will be poured after the steel structure is in place.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mir%C3%B3-Rivera-Architects/201233783250664

hookem · #**988** Posted **Aug 8, 2012, 7:00 PM**

A better link to the helicopter flyover video:

• Video Link

Spaceman · #**989** Posted **Aug 10, 2012, 12:33 AM**

I can think of no event in Austin's history that will be analized more than this race..If it is a success then the sky is the limit for Austin's future growth as an international city. If it fails, the non-growth groups will never let it rest and will be energized to stop Austin's emergence into the future..SXSW had time to grow, but not this race..It has to succeed right away...

the Genral · #**990** Posted **Aug 10, 2012, 1:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spaceman

I can think of no event in Austin's history that will be analized more than this race..If it is a success then the sky is the limit for Austin's future growth as an international city. If it fails, the non-growth groups will never let it rest and will be energized to stop Austin's emergence into the future..SXSW had time to grow, but not this race..It has to succeed right away...

It WILL be a victim of its own success which will earn it a mulligan imo. Weather should be good, highs in the 70's lows in the 60's with only a 30% chance of light rain going by the last 10 year avg, Talk of potential traffic bottlenecks, over inflated rates on inadequate hotel rooms close by, and long lines at the airport for the international travelers, tells us attendance is going to be high, the facilities, track, rv section look great. I'm thinking there will be more positives than negatives that people will give it another chance if they at least had a good time at the event, but were disappointed about some of the logistics. Plus I believe the City of Austin and the great people who live here are going to put on a pretty good show. I don't think everything will have to be perfect for it to succeed. I will say this though, this event is going to have a lot of hype preceding it, so I hope it lives up to it, even though I don't believe its survival depends on it.

KevinFromTexas · #**991** Posted **Aug 10, 2012, 8:22 PM**

This article says the tower is 252 feet tall. The photos below show the tower under construction.

F1 track test drive
http://www.statesman.com/news/f1-track-test-drive-2433187.html

Final asphalt paving at F1 track, 08.10.12
Friday, August 10, 2012
http://galleries.statesman.com/gallery/final-asphalt-paving-f1-track-081012/#612424

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...8/10/final_layers_of_asphalt_at_cir.html

Quote:

Final layers of asphalt at Circuit of the Americas to be poured
By Dave Doolittle | Friday, August 10, 2012, 01:51 PM

So many pieces of a Formula One-grade circuit need to be perfect, but perhaps nothing is more important than the racing surface itself.

Standard asphalt will buckle and break apart over several days of racing under the stress generated by 24 Formula One cars — tire temperatures can reach 230 degrees — and the racing surface needs to be one continuous layer of asphalt, free of bumps and seams.

The track itself is about 10 feet deep, with multiple layers of sand, sandy clay loam, gravel, crushed limestone and asphalt providing a base. A layer of black polymer material about an inch thick that was laid first holds it all together and acts as a moisture barrier.

Each layer will take seven to 12 days to complete, including curing time, and will use thousands of tons of asphalt — 10,000 tons on the top layer alone, Austin Commercial said.

KevinFromTexas · #**992** Posted **Aug 10, 2012, 8:24 PM**

This was posted 4 days ago.

• Video Link

GoldenBoot · #**993** Posted **Aug 10, 2012, 9:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

I doubt it. Those are all done by C3, while Live Nation is doing COTA. Although the Live Nation contract with COTA did leave a little bit of room for them to possibly work with C3 some in the future. I wouldn't bet on C3 moving any of their existing events.

Remember, the City of Austin only allows a certain number of live concert "days," per year, for both Auditorium Shores and Zilker combined...I think it's 25. This is whyC3 is trying to work with the city to amend that rule to allow for an additional weekend to the ACL Festival.

I kind of like the idea of a true, large amphitheater in Austin. It may be similar to the old-days of Southpark Meadows.

The bottom line is that this will allow Austin to attract more and larger acts (one's that have bypassed Austin for San Antonio's Verizon and Houston's Mitchell-Woods).

Jdawgboy · #**994** Posted **Aug 12, 2012, 1:08 AM**

Im hoping weather will be good but lets not forget it is very likely we will be in an El Niño weather pattern which more times than not gives us wet cool Fall and Winters.

turn1 · #**995** Posted **Aug 12, 2012, 3:15 PM**

Sorry, been away from the board for a while. Lost my shortcut.

There's been a lot of good stuff to post recently, so I hope nobody minds if I make copy & post a few posts I've made recently on another board:

Quote:

Regarding the T10 GA, you're right. You won;t be able to see much at all from down in that hole, and they've just laid the grass seed matting, so it doesn't look like they plan any berm there, at least for this year. I pointed it out on another board and was told I was crazy and/or making things up. That's what prompted me to shoot those photos above. I also shot some video to demonstrate the point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgI1XG2PH5s&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n1ZMl92UB8&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLYn2FiTq9w&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyrNeo148Gk&feature=plcp

turn1 · #**996** Posted **Aug 12, 2012, 3:18 PM**

From Aug 3:

Quote:

Originally Posted by hairy_scotsman

Took some new photos yesterday. In the final 2 or 3 shots shown here I'm standing on Mr. Haywood's property about 20 feet above the bottom of the GA area. The surrounding hills are off COTA property:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.504156146265602.127248.157330087614878&type=1