F1 Does Course Correction for 2024 Race

By Scott Roeben, on September 04 2024
4 min read 8 comments
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F1 took a lot of heat for its first race in Las Vegas, but the organization listened and appears to be taking corrective action for its next installment.

The 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix runs Nov. 21 through Nov 23.

The fact we’re already in September and work on F1’s track is just beginning is a sign of dramatic progress, as last year’s car crash of an event had already been going on for six months by this time. Bygones, right?

F1 appears to have paid attention during its “intervention” last year.

A big change since last year’s boundless idiocy involves communication. It’s unclear if better communication could’ve helped salvage last year’s disaster, but it wouldn’t have hurt.

This time around, F1 is reaching out to media outlets to let them know about “key differentiators” from last year’s event.

Here are some of the key changes since 2023:

googie Reduced timeline for track preparation from nine months to three months.
googie No circuit paving, only patchwork paving repair.
googie Most of the work will be conducted overnight, working counter clock-wise around the circuit starting at Harmon and Las Vegas Blvd.
googie The Flamingo vehicular bridge is reduced from four lanes to two, maintaining access to businesses.
googie A resort employee mobility program, funded by the LVCVA, will provide “park and ride” programs for resort/casino property employees along the circuit.
googie An interactive dual-language website will assist residents as they navigate the roadways in the circuit area.

These changes are a big deal, as traffic snarls were a big driver of F1 hate last year.

The Web site in question can be accessed through F1’s main Las Vegas Grand Prix site, or just go directly via this handy link to the “WTF1 is Happening” site. They aren’t calling it that for some reason.

F1 is again providing updates via text (F1 to 31996) and via a new Twitter account.

Bless their hearts, they’re trying.

There’s no denying F1 has really gotten granular in its planning to be better able to communicate what’s happening, where and when to the public, including locals trying to get to and from their casino jobs on The Strip.

Don’t try to read this .pdf, download it. This is for illustrative and snarky caption purposes only.

This schedule is preliminary, subject to rage without notice.

Does knowing about traffic disruptions help avoid them (and the associated road rage)? Sort of. It depends upon where you’re trying to go. We are a frequent guest of Ellis Island casino. Our conclusion is “you can’t get there from here.” Ellis Island is actually suing F1 for last year’s disruptions to its business.

“Bygones” sounds great, but it remains to be seen if the changes to F1’s race will have the intended impact.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix was great for a small handful of casinos last year, but many more were crushed. (Caused, in part, by people like us informing the public of the mess race preparations were causing. It gave the impression the entirety of Las Vegas was affected by the roadwork, which it wasn’t.)

Also brutalized were shows in Las Vegas, to the tune of millions of dollars in losses. Restaurants, especially along the race route, also lost millions. It’s unclear how better communications will help those businesses, but a shortened timeline is certainly welcomed.

Then again, it’s still three months of disruption for a three-day race.

F1, in effect, set the bar so low last year, any improvement seems like a blessing. Well played.

Room rates are elevated compared to prior years around this time, but are way down since last year’s event (probably because F1 ticket sales have been soft, ditto room bookings).

Downtown casinos were hit hard by last year’s F1 race, so they are collectively offering counter-programming: The Neon City Festival. Yes, we broke the news about the festival. Do you know this blog at all?

The Neon City Festival is free and happens Nov. 22-24, 2024, right on top of F1. They aren’t calling it counter-programming, of course, but “additive.” Hey, downtown has a PR machine, too.

There’s a lot of PR spin happening at the moment. It’s interesting to hear from F1 representatives, as they have a fascinating internal dialogue going on. Sort of an alternate reality. Our bullshit meter always spikes when we hear the word “learnings.”

The fact is F1 (along with the rest of Las Vegas) got a wake-up call in 2023. The event has its fans, but not enough to fill up Las Vegas. To avoid a full-on riot (downtown casinos were reportedly prepared to come out publicly against hosting the event in Las Vegas, for example), everyone’s playing nice and trying to make the most of an awkward relationship.

F1 is like any other big event in Las Vegas. It should’ve been folded gently into the batter before whisking. F1 isn’t really the star of the show. Vegas is. And you could barely even tell the Las Vegas Grand Prix was happening in Las Vegas from the televised race.

Three months of WTF is still a lot to deal with, but kudos to F1 for moving in the right direction with a do-over. It’s a much less expensive proposition than what was threatened by public officials and Las Vegas businesses, “F1 and done.”

Update (9/4/24): Mere minutes after the publication of our story, it’s being reported two additional businesses have filed suit against F1 and Clark County: Battista’s Hole in the Wall and Stage Door. The businesses say the Las Vegas Grand Prix owes them compensation for “wrongful interference with business rights.” If you’re suffering from insomnia, read the Complaint here.

Update (9/5/24): Following the PR rehab playbook, F1 donated $100,000 to local charities.

Update (9/5/24): Ellis Island took a hit in its lawsuit against F1. Conclusion: Wearing a robe doesn’t make you swift.