Circuit of the Americas Development Updates - Page 75

Jdawgboy · #**1481** Posted **May 6, 2013, 6:11 PM**

Now this is something that I'm very interested in and will be overwhelmed with excitement if this comes to fruition

http://www.ragetexas.com/blog/2013/0...to-two-venues/

For those of you who may not be familiar with EDC here's a video for the one in Las Vegas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfwV...e_gdata_player

This would be a huge deal for Austin so I'm crossing my fingers and pulling out my raver pants and glowsticks lol

the Genral · #**1482** Posted **May 6, 2013, 7:09 PM**

Jdawgboy, for us old farts, what exactly does all this mean?

lzppjb · #**1483** Posted **May 6, 2013, 8:13 PM**

I think it's basically an all night outdoor rave with almost naked women and lots of jumping up and down to loud music. At least that's what I get from the video and comments.

Other than the women, I have no reason to even consider going.

Myomi · #**1484** Posted **May 6, 2013, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Now this is something that I'm very interested in and will be overwhelmed with excitement if this comes to fruition

http://www.ragetexas.com/blog/2013/0...to-two-venues/

For those of you who may not be familiar with EDC here's a video for the one in Las Vegas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfwV...e_gdata_player

This would be a huge deal for Austin so I'm crossing my fingers and pulling out my raver pants and glowsticks lol

I had no idea they were trying to plan this. That's incredible. Thanks for giving us this information!

hookem · #**1485** Posted **May 6, 2013, 9:35 PM**

Speaking of music, has anyone heard anything about bands/additional entertainment at V8 Supercars? I was hoping there would be other stuff there, but I don't see a schedule or any announcements.

On the other hand, the schedule of actual racing is very heavy (3 series and 4 separate races + 4 qualifying for V8 Supercars alone) so maybe they are figuring that is enough.

Tornado · #**1486** Posted **May 7, 2013, 12:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

Yeah, Epstein said recently that over the previous weekend he had just completed talks with three different hotel companies about putting hotels out there. He may have, but it probably got pretty awkward once they found out how many low/no-occupancy days there would be.

They should do a resort style with a golf course....like the JW or Hyatt in SA

BevoLJ · #**1487** Posted **May 7, 2013, 6:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tornado

They should do a resort style with a golf course....like the JW or Hyatt in SA

There is the Hyatt Lost Pines right there on 71. I think it has like 500 or so rooms.

KevinFromTexas · #**1488** Posted **May 7, 2013, 6:03 PM**

There's also a public golf course next to the airport on 71. It's hardly a resort, but if you like golf and airplanes then it's great.

turn1 · #**1489** Posted **May 8, 2013, 6:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

There's also a public golf course next to the airport on 71. It's hardly a resort, but if you like golf and airplanes then it's great.

Pretty sure they closed that a while back. The closest golf to COTA that I know of is Jimmy Clay, but I'm not a golfer.

turn1 · #**1490** Posted **May 9, 2013, 3:01 PM**

Just heard there are some Supercars out there testing right now. Probably heading that way soon to get a few shots.

Also, there's this. The city's F1 weekend report has been released:

"F1 Austin not huge success for small businesses, report finds"

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...for-small.html

LMAO at this. The city annexes only the track property and then tells the county they should add bike lanes and widen the roads. Assholes.

Quote:

"Recommendations for this year's F1 race — scheduled for Nov. 15-17 — include adding pedestrian and bike lanes and widening some roads around the track."

Novacek · #**1491** Posted **May 9, 2013, 4:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

Also, there's this. The city's F1 weekend report has been released:

"F1 Austin not huge success for small businesses, report finds"

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...for-small.html

But overall, that same report called it a 'resounding success'

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/spor...atesman_launch

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

LMAO at this. The city annexes only the track property and then tells the county they should add bike lanes and widen the roads. Assholes.

Why not? That's why we pay taxes to the County (and why the circuit continues to pay taxes to the county).

MightyYoda · #**1492** Posted **May 9, 2013, 4:30 PM**

This year might be even worse, but I think it will even out. Big part of the problem was the hotels going crazy over the price gouging, that will level out because people will just not come or stay in San Antonio instead. Also tons of locals stayed away from downtown that weekend because every newspaper basically told them to do so. I went downtown on the train and there were lots of people, but not as bad as SXSW. I think more locals will not avoid F1 weekend this year.

turn1 · #**1493** Posted **May 9, 2013, 4:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Novacek

But overall, that same report called it a 'resounding success'

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/spor...atesman_launch

Why not? That's why we pay taxes to the County (and why the circuit continues to pay taxes to the county).

Because the city annexed the track property only & left the roads to the county...in other words, they took the revenue & left the expenses.

As for the resounding success, it's all relative. It didn't sell out. It was a blip compared to the 1st 2 years at Indy, and was a smaller crowd than any USGP there despite the anticipated "Inaugural GP" boosting effect due to pent-up demand, historical significance, etc. It didn't meet any of COTA's projections, etc. None of the races have. The hotel situation alienated lots of people, etc.

turn1 · #**1494** Posted **May 9, 2013, 4:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MightyYoda

This year might be even worse, but I think it will even out. Big part of the problem was the hotels going crazy over the price gouging, that will level out because people will just not come or stay in San Antonio instead. Also tons of locals stayed away from downtown that weekend because every newspaper basically told them to do so. I went downtown on the train and there were lots of people, but not as bad as SXSW. I think more locals will not avoid F1 weekend this year.

The dirty little secret there is that COTA was as responsible for that as anyone (as we told y'all well before there were any news stories about it). They're distancing themselves from it now, saying they're concerned about the prices and recommending the hotels lower them.

Prices last year came down dramatically after COTA's room-blocking contracts started expiring, one by one, and the hotels still couldn't sell out. Lots of people did go to SA & elsewhere, & many tour companies have opted out of Austin due to the 2012 fiasco.

Re: locals staying away from downtown...that shouldn't have mattered so much. COTA's own economist said it would be like Montreal, where supposedly 100k people come for the race & another 300K come for the party. Now, that doesn't actually happen in Montreal. I've been to that race & it's great & the crowd is very good, but 300K for the party? That's preposterous. If even a fraction of that had happened here, downtown would have been swamped.

Novacek · #**1495** Posted **May 10, 2013, 1:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

Because the city annexed the track property only & left the roads to the county...in other words, they took the revenue & left the expenses.

They didn't take all the revenue. That's just it. The county is still getting lots of money from the track. Maybe it should use some of it to fulfill its obligations (maintaining roads and such).

East7thStreet · #**1496** Posted **May 10, 2013, 4:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

The dirty little secret there is that COTA was as responsible for that as anyone (as we told y'all well before there were any news stories about it). They're distancing themselves from it now, saying they're concerned about the prices and recommending the hotels lower them.

Prices last year came down dramatically after COTA's room-blocking contracts started expiring, one by one, and the hotels still couldn't sell out. Lots of people did go to SA & elsewhere, & many tour companies have opted out of Austin due to the 2012 fiasco.

Re: locals staying away from downtown...that shouldn't have mattered so much. COTA's own economist said it would be like Montreal, where supposedly 100k people come for the race & another 300K come for the party. Now, that doesn't actually happen in Montreal. I've been to that race & it's great & the crowd is very good, but 300K for the party? That's preposterous. If even a fraction of that had happened here, downtown would have been swamped.

Do you have a personal relationship with the owners of the track? You have a decidedly anti-track perspective that makes it seem that they have done something to you personally.

The ATX · #**1497** Posted **May 10, 2013, 4:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by East7thStreet

Do you have a personal relationship with the owners of the track? You have a decidedly anti-track perspective that makes it seem that they have done something to you personally.

He's Tavo.

Jdawgboy · #**1498** Posted **May 10, 2013, 9:50 PM**

Actually despite what turn1 says, the track may have not sold out for F1 but it was pretty damn close. Capacity was capped at 120K and they had around 117K, that's not bad at all IMO and fact is rather you where there watching the race or watching it on TV, you didn't doubt the shear size of the crowds that where there, nobody is going to see the difference between 117K and 120k.

alwaysmiling · #**1499** Posted **May 10, 2013, 9:56 PM**

Looked every bit of sold out on tv and the crowds for Friday and Saturday were impressive too...It was the biggest single day attendance for a sporting event in Austin or am I forgetting something?

hookem · #**1500** Posted **May 10, 2013, 11:37 PM**

I had some extensive back and forth with turn1 on other racing forums during the run-up to the first race. I think it's fair to say he doesn't like COTA management, but isn't anti-track or anything. He is also probably one of the 2 most knowledgeable people regarding what is going on at COTA (that are actually accessible on the internet).

I think the numbers for the first F1 race were pretty amazing, maybe not in comparison with TMS/Nascar or F1 at Indy... but considering how uncertain things seemed until the very last minute, it was an unqualified success IMO.

This year may answer a lot of questions. Will people come back? Will there be new attendees who hesitated last year because of traffic or the track being ready concerns? Will hotels be cheaper (because maybe they won't be blocked out by COTA this time, but they may jack up prices because of the UT game demand)?

I'm definitely going again this year. And I would recommend it to anyone.