Hey Austin, Tx - Status on F1 Track

[R Doug]

I may sit this one out and watch on TV.  I'm itching for a road trip in 2013 on the motorcycle to go see the MotoGP boys there.  

Let's see if they can work the bugs out in 2012 for F1.  Though I did attend the initial F1 and MotoGP races at Indy, that's a facility that know how to handle large crowds.  They've been doing it for a while.  

[Sport-Touring]

[Dave.TX]

Reading about Austin and the hotel situations got me laughing.   I don't go to Austin unless I have to. The track in Elroy is in a slum area, no doubt about it. The property had to be cheap. Not sure if they're buying and removing all the 40 year old single and double wides there or not. The two 2 lane roads going in and out can't support the traffic that the track is going to demand unless they're upgraded. Once on the toll road you'll be better off.

As for hotels/motels, if you can get something that has easy access to SH 130 (the toll road) then it doesn't take too long. Also if you don't mind a drive, Bastrop is probably a good bet as a lot of the businesses there have been built up in the last decade and still in good shape. Manor only has one motel but it's only 20 minutes from Elroy via the toll. Buda and Kyle are just south on I-35 and close access to the toll also. The only east/west "highway" is 71 and that's stop 'n go through the area complete with traffic lights and Bergstrom airport just west of the track.

I'm not a fan of Austin (politics) but don't think it's a whole lot different than other towns. West is where the money is, east is where it isn't. The track is east.

Maybe I can rent out a room in my house, I'm about 10 minutes east of Manor...  

[Kneescrubber]

Maybe I can rent out a room in my house, I'm about 10 minutes east of Manor...  

You can bet there'll be a lot of that going on. Fortunately, I have a lot of friends and relatives in and around Austin. So I'm not worried about a place to stay.

[bluedogok]

Reading about Austin and the hotel situations got me laughing.   I don't go to Austin unless I have to. The track in Elroy is in a slum area, no doubt about it. The property had to be cheap. Not sure if they're buying and removing all the 40 year old single and double wides there or not. The two 2 lane roads going in and out can't support the traffic that the track is going to demand unless they're upgraded. Once on the toll road you'll be better off.

I wouldn't consider Elroy a "slum area", it is pretty much nothing but rural land with so few houses or trailers (let alone apartments) that it would be hard to find anything resembling a slum there. Kind of hard to be a slum if there are only 50 people living in 15 square miles or so. The land where the track is located had already been purchased by a developer before the bust and had planned to put something like 2,000 homes on that land, that is who they bought the land from. The development stalled going through the environmental impact process and then the bottom dropped out of the development economy. Hence why the land was available somewhat cheaply. I was hoping that it would've been a little further out 71 in Bastrop County, things always go smoother in the development business once you get the Austin-Travis County busy bodies out of their jurisdiction. There is absolutely no way this could have been built in western Travis County or even Hays County now. It would've had to have been in Blanco County or so to get done.

They have already started some work on the roads out there, odds are they will not be completed by November though, the county does nothing in any sort of hurry.

[DangerMoney]

From http://www.planet-f1.com/driver/18227/7441943/Austin-circuit-on-track

The Circuit of the Americas is well on its way to being completed in August, right on schedule, organisers have revealed.

The US Grand Prix was thrown into doubt last year when race organisers and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone were unable to agree on the financial details of the deal. The conflict caused construction on the track to be halted for a number of weeks and it was only after a last-minute resolution was found in mid-December that construction was restarted.

However, with the race date shifted from June to November, it appears that the break in construction will not prove costly, with the track expected to be finished months in advance.

"The race is on. Construction is happening six days a week," Circuit of the Americas sales officer Geoff Moore told Autosport.

"The paddock buildings are being topped off, work on the main grandstand has started and we are looking at mid-August for completion."

[FJR1300]

From http://www.planet-f1.com/driver/18227/7441943/Austin-circuit-on-track

 

[Dave.TX]

I agree that the whole process would've gone a lot smoother had it been done in Bastrop County. The city of Austin is going to do what they can to annex the property for their revenue and later bureaucratic BS. There's already news of them de-annexing Del Valle, there just isn't enough money out there for them. APD doesn't patrol much out there anyway.

Maybe slum was a poor choice for what's located east of the property on Elroy Rd? I've been out there and it ain't pretty. When they fly over the venue in the helicopters and blimps they'll be sure not to zoom in on anything east of the track or on McAngus Rd. The track will hopefully raise property values but it will never resemble Westlake Hills, not that anyone is expecting it to.

I'm reminded on where Texas Motor Speedway is and what a great venue it is. I've been to what used to be called Sears Point (now Infineon) for a NASCAR race back in the 90's. Great area, away from any city, rolling hills and nice views. Picturesque, if you will. They could have that here with some work.

[DangerMoney]

From http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7449634/Austin-begins-the-ticketing-process

As the Circuit of the Americas moves closer to its F1 debut, organisers have opened the ticketing process.

Starting on Monday, 23rd January and extending through to 13th February, fans wishing to attending the 2012 grand prix in Austin, Texas can join the Select Seating Wait List via the official website.

This will allow them to be first in line to purchase a 'personal seat license', which cost between $1,000 to $5,000 and entitle the holder to be given priority when purchasing tickets for all racing events at Circuit of The Americas for the next 15 years.

"We are receiving great interest in tickets every day from fans around the world," said Geoff Moore, chief marketing and sales officer for COTA.

"In order to effectively manage the demand, we have created a two-stage ticketing process to help fans better understand the opportunities available.

"We want every fan to get the ticket that is right and affordable for them. In this first stage, we are showing off the incredible entertainment experience our main grandstand offers."

The United States Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on 18th November.

[stromgal]

Feck the negativity-- I'm looking forward to a MotoGP in Austin or Elroy or whatever the heck the locals call it. I WILL be there when the bikes fire up.

[Orson]

18th of November??

bloody 'ell...do they even have an off-season anymore?  

[satxbonneville]

"Personal Seat License"?

Ticketmaster must be positively green with envy.

 

[Atitalongtime]

newspaper report

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/racing/entries/2012/02/09/official_despite_rains_work_mo.html?cxntfid=blogs_formula_austin

[nnjhawk02]

I may sit this one out and watch on TV.  I'm itching for a road trip in 2013 on the motorcycle to go see the MotoGP boys there.  

Let's see if they can work the bugs out in 2012 for F1.  Though I did attend the initial F1 and MotoGP races at Indy, that's a facility that know how to handle large crowds.  They've been doing it for a while.  

Ditto - I too did the Indy double & was looking forward to F1 race, but due to bad cage crash last Oct, that has me still out of work & Mom's 75 BDay @ same time, I'll watch it on Speed.  But will attempt to ride to track for '13 MotoGP.  That would be a great road trip for me, going thru West Va, Kent., Tenn., Ark. - man all the sweet roads between me & Elroy  

newspaper report

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/racing/entries/2012/02/09/official_despite_rains_work_mo.html?cxntfid=blogs_formula_austin

I especially like the uninformed comments below article...Hi Tina Teabagger

[Kneescrubber]

Update from a week ago.

[FJR1300]

[Kneescrubber]

Glad to know you aren't ignoring me.  

[Atitalongtime]

Building topping out...


http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-12-12-16-23-austins-formula-1-on-track-construction-topped-out-on-pits/

[Dave.TX]

For recent updates check http://circuitoftheamericas.com/track

I don't care if it's MotoGP, World Superbike or AMA Superbike... I'll watch it.

[satxbonneville]

The MotoGP may not happen. Looks like a hostage situation to me.  


"Legal disputes continue to threaten the 2013 MotoGP race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). At issue are the acquisition of the MotoGP rights, and the multi-million dollar lawsuit of a former COTA partner against its principle investors. Caught in the middle is former Grand Prix champion Kevin Schwantz, whose dream of a Texas Grand Prix is fading into legal stalemate."

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/839/12770/Motorcycle-Article/Texas-MotoGP-2013-Stalemate-Continues.aspx

[Kneescrubber]

What a clusterf**k.