Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 Race Track

[turn1]

Looks like COTA's opening up previously PSL-only GS seats on T1 & T15:

http://6bd32fe3d0a84caa1d3b-e077574e...e(8.20.12).pdf

[The ATX]

Austin moving to annex COTA. No more Elroy. Thank God.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...t-2439518.html

[turn1]

Re: the conversion of PSL-only seats, I've noticed some people have taken this opportunity to look at the interactive seat map and come back with calculations that 80+% of PSLs have sold, etc.

We don't know how many PSLs have sold, or for that matter, how many of any type of seat has sold. What we know is how many are shown as "available" or "unavailable" at any given time. Maybe they have sold all those unavailable seats, but we really don't know. I believe the relatively “few” converted PSL seats that appear to be open right now are a result of them being converted & released at a trickle, just as GS seats were released a section at a time to regulate supply and encourage demand. This would be completely consistent with their M.O. to date. Unavailable seats could also be seats they're holding back in a continuing effort to sell corresponding PSLs.

For example, it looks like about half of T1 Sec 6 is on sale today. There were only a few rows showing availability yesterday in any given section before the interactive seat map went down.

https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/cot...20_3DPP_GEN_LL

Also, I think we’ll probably see a release of 1-day GA tickets, and maybe even 1-day GS. I’ve thought so from the beginning, and everything seems to point to that now, but who knows? Crazy not to have them.

[turn1]

In other news: 2013 V8 Supercars at COTA...

Race 1: May 18
Race 2: May 19

You heard it here first.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by turn1

In other news: 2013 V8 Supercars at COTA...

Race 1: May 18
Race 2: May 19

You heard it here first.

That's great! I was looking forward to those more than F1. Now, I just wish NASCAR would think outside of the box (or oval) and hold a race there.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

That's great! I was looking forward to those more than F1. Now, I just wish NASCAR would think outside of the box (or oval) and hold a race there.

I would rather have an actual rat race at COTA than to see NASCAR there. No offense intended but lets keep the racing calibur bar a bit higher and keep it more international level as far as race events. Now INDY would be a good fit.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I would rather have an actual rat race at COTA than to see NASCAR there. No offense intended but lets keep the racing calibur bar a bit higher and keep it more international level as far as race events. Now INDY would be a good fit.

NASCAR racing is about as high of caliber of racing as there is. Are you sure that some political bias is not in play with your statement? (Rednecks do know how to make things go fast. ) I can easily understand if it is. But I only care about racing and not who the participants and their fans vote for. Let's just enjoy the race and collect their money and let them leave town.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I would rather have an actual rat race at COTA than to see NASCAR there. No offense intended but lets keep the racing calibur bar a bit higher and keep it more international level as far as race events. Now INDY would be a good fit.

Ok now, first of all I'm no hillbilly or redneck, but I am a HUGE NASCAR fan Don't under estimate the value of that calibur of racing or its fan base. But fear not, I doubt we'll ever get an official Sprint Cup race because they already run more races than the majority of teams want, and it would mean cutting a race from the schedule to make room for one. Plus they already have 2 road course races, Senoma and Watkin's Glenn. I'd junk the Martinsville or New Hampshire race to get a COTA date if I had a vote. Agree on INDY. What we might could see (NASCAR Redneck terminology) is NASCAR renting the track to road test some tires and car handling features due to our hot dry weather conditions.

[turn1]

Charlie Whiting (front, khaki pants), Bobby Epstein (front, black pants), and several other FIA, COTA, and Austin Commercial folks took a track walk this morning...nice day for it. I was lucky enough to get a shot with my phone:

[BevoLJ]

Formula 1's Austin party takes shape: Downtown will rock
Austin CultureMap
BY KEVIN BENZ
08.24.12 | 06:00 am

Less than 90 days from the United States Grand Prix, construction at Circuit of the Americas is coming along at a rate that looks like it'll be done with time to spare. So now most of the attention has moved from the track to what will be happening in the City over what will surely be one of busiest, craziest, and most important weekends in modern Austin history.

...

These two massive downtown public parties will both be free and will both have streets blocked downtown all weekend.

...

From 2nd Street to 4th Street you'll be able to party like a wealthy European race car fan, while just a few blocks up Congress, Paul Carrozza of Run Tex is leading the charge to create "Experience Austin," an eight block, block party featuring what can only be described as the best of Austin. Each block — between 8th Street and 11th Street, from Colorado to Brazos — will host a different theme, green living, keeping it weird, international culture, that sort of thing. "We want to show off the best of Austin for everyone planning to come to town," explained Carrozza. It promises to be the biggest weekend downtown since the millenium celebration.

...

Fan Fest will be open from 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. on Friday November 16, and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to approximately 1:00 a.m. on Sunday night.

• The epicenter for this event will be 3rd and Congress Ave.
• Formula 1 cars will be on display, as well as racing simulators and other activities that will be appropriate for the entire family.
• There will be both local live music acts and national “top 40” style acts.
• The website austinfanfest.com will be online soon with all the information

Experience Austin is being organized by Run Tex and will be open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

• Here are a few bullet points about Formula 1 weekend gleaned by CultureMap contributor Benoit Rochard at a city committee meeting this week regarding Formula 1 weekend:
• Based on ticket sales. Circuit of the Americas estimates 85 percent of the visitors will be from the United States with the majority of foreign visitors will be from Mexico, and are likely to have been to the United States before.
• Most visitors are expected to come to Austin for the entire week not just race weekend.
• The city expects traffic congestion to be similar to what its like during the music portion of SXSW.
• 6th Street may be closed earlier than on normal weekends, even though there are no specific events planned on 6th Street. This will be due to excessive pedestrian traffic on 6th Street, and will be done at the Austin Police Department’s discretion.

Read More @: http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdet...to-take-shape/

[LoneStarMike]

And from the same article:

In fact, real estate professionals are preparing for a boom. They suggest Austin will see an explosion in residential and commercial real estate sales immediately following the race as international visitors decide they kind of like what they see and buy a place to stay. "We're being told to keep the week after the race open," one broker told me, asking to remain nameless for competitive reasons (I guess I just blew the secret). "We think office space especially will start to sell very quickly."

[turn1]

Vance took a bunch of evening/night photos of the circuit last night:

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



Samples:

[Samwill89]

From the article:

Based on ticket sales. Circuit of the Americas estimates 85 percent of the visitors will be from the United States with the majority of foreign visitors will be from Mexico, and are likely to have been to the United States before.
• Most visitors are expected to come to Austin for the entire week not just race weekend.

It seems that the "wealthy European visitor" aspect has been overblown by some when less than 5% of tickets have been sold to them. In fact, I would bet that SXSW draws more Europeans to Austin than this will. This still has large ramifications to Austin's reputation globally and will draw a lot of out of towners.

[turn1]

Originally Posted by Samwill89

From the article:




It seems that the "wealthy European visitor" aspect has been overblown by some when less than 5% of tickets have been sold to them. In fact, I would bet that SXSW draws more Europeans to Austin than this will. This still has large ramifications to Austin's reputation globally and will draw a lot of out of towners.

Yep....

[Jdawgboy]

Ere

Originally Posted by Samwill89

From the article:




It seems that the "wealthy European visitor" aspect has been overblown by some when less than 5% of tickets have been sold to them. In fact, I would bet that SXSW draws more Europeans to Austin than this will. This still has large ramifications to Austin's reputation globally and will draw a lot of out of towners.

Its actually exciting to see that number for people in the U.S. it shows all those people that say there is not a big fan base are wrong and that the U.S. can support F1.

Believe me there will be wealthy Europeans here, we dont need alot to still get tye massive amounts of money they will spend here.

[turn1]

BTW, just checked the TicketMaster interactive seat map. There are now 19 sections at Turn 15 with ticket availability. Two days ago there were 8.

[turn1]

Codemasters' onboard lap:

• Video Link

[pato79]

Originally Posted by turn1

BTW, just checked the TicketMaster interactive seat map. There are now 19 sections at Turn 15 with ticket availability. Two days ago there were 8.

Strange, on Friday of last week I was helping a friend look for 6 tickets on turn 15 and all of those sections were available. Not sure why you only saw 8 sections available.

In case you were wondering, I am searching for the seats for him because as a psl ticket holder I get a better price on ticketmaster.

[turn1]

Originally Posted by pato79

Strange, on Friday of last week I was helping a friend look for 6 tickets on turn 15 and all of those sections were available. Not sure why you only saw 8 sections available.

In case you were wondering, I am searching for the seats for him because as a psl ticket holder I get a better price on ticketmaster.

Heard the same today elsewhere. Maybe they were updating.

[turn1]

COTA construction 8-12-12. I see Bernie's building is coming along nicely behind the pit building:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1419693&type=1