Circuit of the Americas Development Updates - Page 87

Jdawgboy · #**1721** Posted **Nov 8, 2013, 10:57 PM**

What I meant by the question is who out of the Owners should either be bought out or sell? Also why do these guys seem to not care about the negative publicity? I can't see how it does them any good. They spent the money and made the effort to get that track built and just because of that they think they can do whatever they want. I say let the people who know how to run the track, do their jobs and hire people who actually know how to promote and advertise cause so far they haven't done a good job at all with promotion even on a local level let alone national or international level. We have a world class track that is sitting there and nobody will want to go there because of how badly the owners are running it.

turn1 · #**1722** Posted **Nov 8, 2013, 11:01 PM**

Jalopnik: What The Hell Is Going On With Tickets For The US Grand Prix?
http://jalopnik.com/what-the-hell-is...ium=socialflow

Statesman: MIA F1 tickets have some fans angry
http://www.statesman.com/weblogs/for...me-fans-angry/

Autoweek: Ticket distribution for Formula One's Austin race has turned into a fiasco for COTA
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20131107/F1/131109847

turn1 · #**1723** Posted **Nov 8, 2013, 11:13 PM**

Didn't they say yesterday that the last of the tickets had been shipped?

Quote:

American-StatesmanGP
@StatesmanGP: @dawilson @circuitamericas I was told they'd all be shipped by tomorrow. We'll see.
3:32pm · 8 Nov 13 · TweetDeck

turn1 · #**1724** Posted **Nov 9, 2013, 12:05 AM**

Just in case you want to do both, the time for the Texas vs Oklahoma State Football game has been set at 2:30.

http://www.statesman.com/weblogs/for...e-kick-230-pm/

turn1 · #**1725** Posted **Nov 9, 2013, 7:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

What I meant by the question is who out of the Owners should either be bought out or sell? Also why do these guys seem to not care about the negative publicity? I can't see how it does them any good. They spent the money and made the effort to get that track built and just because of that they think they can do whatever they want. I say let the people who know how to run the track, do their jobs and hire people who actually know how to promote and advertise cause so far they haven't done a good job at all with promotion even on a local level let alone national or international level. We have a world class track that is sitting there and nobody will want to go there because of how badly the owners are running it.

I'd say all of them need buying out.

JoninATX · #**1726** Posted **Nov 9, 2013, 8:31 PM**

I'm still smh on how you have a world class track and have piss poor management? Imo they all need to be fired! but that's me.

turn1 · #**1727** Posted **Nov 9, 2013, 9:09 PM**

Picking up USGP Will Call tickets? Go to COTA HQ at 301 Congress, FanFest at 4th & Lavaca Streets, or at COTA's Ticket Office:

Quote:

Should any guest arrive in Austin for next week’s race without receiving their pre-purchased tickets and/or parking passes, we have a number of ways to assist them:

1. Visit Circuit of The Americas’ downtown office location at 301 Congress Avenue, Suite 275, Austin, TX 78701, and a member of our team will provide them with replacement tickets and parking passes.

2. The Circuit’s trackside Ticket Office will open Monday, Nov. 11 (Grand Plaza location on Circuit of The Americas Blvd.) Guests may pick up replacement tickets at Will Call throughout the week. The Circuit’s trackside Ticket Office will be open Monday, Nov. 11, through Sunday, Nov. 17 at these times:

Monday (Nov. 11) through Wednesday (Nov. 13): 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT
Thursday (Nov. 14): 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT
Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 15-17): 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Gates open at 7:30 a.m. CT race weekend)

3. Should guests arrive in Austin Friday, Nov. 15, without their pre-purchased tickets and parking passes, they can visit two (2) downtown locations for assistance:

Circuit of The Americas downtown office at 301 Congress Avenue, Suite 275, Austin, Texas 78701
Circuit of The Americas’ WELCOME CENTER located in Austin Fan Fest at the corner of Lavaca and 4th Streets.

This information is available online at Circuit of The Americas - Home of the Formula 1 US Grand Prix | Nov. 15-17 2013 | Austin TX.

KevinFromTexas · #**1728** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 1:25 AM**

NBC is going to air live the COTA race.

http://www.statesman.com/weblogs/for...a-formula-one/

Quote:

Posted: 2:56 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, 2013
NBC broadcasters on Austin, COTA, Formula On

By Dave Doolittle

As Circuit of the Americas prepares to host its second Formula One race this weekend, NBC is gearing up for its first live broadcast from the Southeast Austin circuit.

NBC won the rights to broadcast Formula One beginning this year, taking over from Fox-owned Speed, and hired most of Speed’s F1 commentary team: Lead commentator Leigh Diffey, analysts Steve Matchett and David Hobbs and pitlane reporter Will Buxton.

But NBC is bringing the entire team in Austin, a move the network also made for the Monaco Grand Prix, the crown jewel of the Formula One season.

Mikey711MN · #**1729** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 1:17 PM**

Found these comments from Mr. Musk to be rather interesting and got me thinking...from the article:

Quote:

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, has bold plans for the electric vehicle, but meeting that plan is probably worthless without an adequate supply of lithium-ion battery packs.

...

Unfortunately, Tesla Motors has already held back on its advertising and production rates, due to lack of lithium-ion battery packs, so what’s going to happen in the future with a mass-market model? “It doesn’t make sense for us to amplify demand if we aren’t able to deliver,” said Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk earlier this year. It looks like Tesla Motors is going to have to build its own lithium-ion battery plant, and a recent conference call with Elon Musk seems to point in that direction. Elon Musk said “This will be a giant facility. We are talking about something that is comparable to all of the lithium-ion battery production in the world, in one factory… mostly likely in North America.”

Having a battery plant and perhaps some more fully built-out final manufacturing could be well situated near an underused tollway, an airport, and - of relevance to this thread - a test track. I am personally unaware of any rumors, but something like this simply has to be on somebody's radar!

Jdawgboy · #**1730** Posted **Nov 12, 2013, 4:32 PM**

Would be great to see something like that. While there is a lot to be desired as far as race series go, at least there has been a lot of auto testing going on from many auto manufacturer's. Hopefully that will lead to something more.

turn1 · #**1731** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 2:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Would be great to see something like that. While there is a lot to be desired as far as race series go, at least there has been a lot of auto testing going on from many auto manufacturer's. Hopefully that will lead to something more.

There really hasn't been.

turn1 · #**1732** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 3:44 PM**

BTW, here are a few phone pics from yesterday morning out at COTA when the cold front was blowing in. Teams arriving, etc...

turn1 · #**1733** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 3:54 PM**

Tonight the F1 events in town start with the FOTA Fan Forum at Cedar Street, 5:30-7:30.
Formula One Teams' Association | FOTA » Events

Thursday Night at Speakeasy is Will Buxton's party.
Buxton's Big Time Bash returns for F1 week | Formula Austin | www.statesman.com

Friday is the Joe Saward thing at Z-Tejas, 7-11Pm
https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013...ans-in-austin/

Saturday night Vance & I are teaming Facebook/FoF1ATX with the crew from Formula1Blog.com for a Tweetup at 830PM in the bar at the Hyatt Lost Pines. Come join us! F1B will be giving away a beautiful Lapizta watch, but you have to be there to win. We'll be joined at the Tweetup by F1B's Todd (@negativecamber_), Paul (@paulf1b), & Mark McArdle (@charlie_whiting aka- Fake Charlie Whiting). Hopefully some of y'all can make it out there too...

http://www.formula1blog.com/formula-...comment-170262

turn1 · #**1734** Posted **Nov 13, 2013, 3:59 PM**

Some more shots from yesterday in the paddock & along the pits:

turn1 · #**1735** Posted **Nov 14, 2013, 6:29 AM**

I took my boys to the Hamilton signing before going downtown to the FOTA Fan Forum. Pics:

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

Austin55 · #**1736** Posted **Nov 14, 2013, 6:35 AM**

That's awesome! Where was all that?

turn1 · #**1737** Posted **Nov 14, 2013, 7:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin55

That's awesome! Where was all that?

Lewis was at Shoe Palace at Barton Creek Mall. The others were at the FOTA Fan Forum downtown at Cedar Street.

austlar1 · #**1738** Posted **Nov 15, 2013, 6:40 AM**

I just gotta ask about this event. This time last year the various Austin media outlets and members of this forum engaged in endless speculation about the scarcity and cost of hotel rooms, the possibility of massive traffic jams, the logistics of transporting thousands of people to the track, the need for helicopter shuttles, the influx of deep pocketed zillionaires who were going to fall in love with Austin and spend mega bucks here during the event and also in the future, etc. This year there is barely a peep in the media (until today) about this event, and there just does not seem to be that much excitement on this forum or elsewhere with regards to this event, which was labeled as a game changer just a year ago. Am I missing something here, or are my perceptions accurate? Why the big change in just one year's time?

Jdawgboy · #**1739** Posted **Nov 15, 2013, 7:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

There really hasn't been.

Really? I figured there was because I've seen several auto manufacturer's showing off new models at the Circuit of the Americas so I figured that was a big thing.

As far as news exposure KXAN is doing the most promotion for the event since it's their channel that will be broadcasting the race. I'm out DT tonight right now at 1:40 a.m. I can say it's surprisingly quiet tonight. There are some clubs busier than others of course but overall I was expecting Downtown to be busier than what it has bedn.

The ATX · #**1740** Posted **Nov 15, 2013, 7:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by austlar1

I just gotta ask about this event. This time last year the various Austin media outlets and members of this forum engaged in endless speculation about the scarcity and cost of hotel rooms, the possibility of massive traffic jams, the logistics of transporting thousands of people to the track, the need for helicopter shuttles, the influx of deep pocketed zillionaires who were going to fall in love with Austin and spend mega bucks here during the event and also in the future, etc. This year there is barely a peep in the media (until today) about this event, and there just does not seem to be that much excitement on this forum or elsewhere with regards to this event, which was labeled as a game changer just a year ago. Am I missing something here, or are my perceptions accurate? Why the big change in just one year's time?

I thought there was more local media coverage about the race than there was last last year. But then I always watch KXAN which is more or less a partner with COTA - Official COTA weather forecaster, webcam, NBC affiliate where the race will be televised, etc.