By Mark Gero
A few years back, a famous track designer’s son had an interesting idea: draft a circuit which can be used, with a street circuit in a famous town, with plenty of popularity, and build it so the pinnacle of motorsport can race around it.
An idea came up to use the famous Las Vegas strip to host a grand prix event, and the idea at first was very unusual, due to the fact that it could have many circumstances like heavy traffic for the event, along with more visitors for the city, which might lead to the locals having to protest how and what the event to many, could cost.
This considering all the obstacles that could and had been discussed, did not matter as the event began in 2023 with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, a race that went around parts of this famous city, known for taking chances both on the slot machines and the crap tables, and with one section being right on the famous strip, all the gambling on this circuit came to reality, and with a possible renewal coming up for the future, this might be a regular event on the calendar.
But what made this happen? Was it the fact that the glitter and glamour made it all possible? Were the lights and publicity really something that was made for a show, or did this involve nothing to do with racing.
When you think about it, when the spectators come to any kind of sporting event, it is for show. Especially for sport. Fans that come to an event want to be entertained, and this is what sport is all about. When Herman Tilke’s son Carsten designed this circuit, it was certain that he had this in mind.
Even so, there are many hotels in the area that have famous names in them: Wynn, Paris Las Vegas and others. This makes it even better that the fans can be entertained by gambling, eating at famous places, and many shows to go see. It is not just watching a race; and many things that can be done that is outside of it.
This was the idea of the younger Tilke and putting it into an area does make it a show. But not everyone can feel this way, and this is the members of the teams. Drivers, pit crew, and the volunteer marshals that have to work this event might not have the same opinion, but they all know that they are working so they can make this show as good as possible, and when it is all over, everyone, entertainers and fans alike, can go back to their residences and realize that what they paid for, and although it probably was expensive, can be satisfied.
But not all things are not as good as they seem. For this season alone, many hotels and seats for the fans to buy were still available. And even with one week left before the race, you could still purchase a hotel and get a good ticket for the race, even a three-day pass. This is caused by the inflationary period that is going on in this world.
For instance, if you go to the Wynn hotel, a very good five-day stay there is valued at $5,000 US Dollars, not something that a person on a budget can afford. You must look far and wide to find a hotel that can fit your style, and by this time, with less than one week to go before the race, it would have been full and sold out if the prices had been stable.
But this is a show, and whether this venue like all the others on the calendar, have their good and bad situations, it can be said that at least this venue can entertain individuals on many things besides racing that you can see and do.
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