COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

[Pup]

As for HS cherry picking quotes and bickering over which emergency services department some guy was from, I see no need to bother replying. The link to the transcript is available to anyone, so people can see for themselves. The video, too, if anyone wants to time travel back to the nineties and install real player.

[Richard]

We all know that this track has had some wobbles in its leadership, so they are up against a tight deadline to finish everything. Then again, how many major venues don’t have that last minute panic? This is no different to other recently built circuits.

What counts for the technical matter of holding race is a somewhat lower standard than the grand plans we see when circuits are announced. The key for Austin will be finishing the track, pits, medical centre, media centre, and main grandstand. The other infrastructure can use temporary stands, buildings and roadways if required.

The key will be the public safety licence. I don't know how that works in Texas, but my experience elsewhere is that they are often tweaked to allow a temporary arrangements in the first year, and then altered as permanent arrangements are put in place.

The reports quoted on the previous page seem to add up to saying something is achievable, but maybe not the full plan. I can’t see anything wrong with that. This is where leadership come to fore to drive the project across the finish line by focussing on what is needed, rather than getting side tracked into bickering and politics. There lies a metaphor for internet forums.

ps - I was going to use the Olympics as examples of major events struggling to complete on time. However, the London 2012 venues have all been finished and test events have been held. I do have a professional interest in that project so shouldn’t gloat

[hairy_scotsman]

Way back when this started I thought Hairy was pro CotA and the race but, it seems just the opposite.
It's really a shame that from inside and out there is so much negative energy.
Why wouldn't all F1 fans want them to succeed? Why wouldn't you want as many and as diverse a tracks and locales as possible? I truly don't understand.
Xpensive I kinda get,,He likes anything that makes America look bad or for it to fall on it's face, but Americans? And true F1 fans?

I'm a huge fan of the track. I've supported it with countless hours of my time and efforts in many ways, both publicly and privately. I want it to be one of the greatest racing venues in the world, with great racing and other events, where fans will leave marveling at what a wonderful time was had, not just there but in Central Texas.

I'm not a fan of anything that leads to a black eye for the area or leads us further from a strong relationship between the U.S. and top tier motorsport like F1 and other series.

[hairy_scotsman]

As for HS cherry picking quotes and bickering over which emergency services department some guy was from, I see no need to bother replying. The link to the transcript is available to anyone, so people can see for themselves. The video, too, if anyone wants to time travel back to the nineties and install real player.

I wasn't "cherrypicking" quotes in an effort to make you look bad, but that seems to be how you take it whenever anyone disagrees with you, whether they are correct or not. I didn't have a problem with much of the rest of your post, and I merely set the record straight on portions of it that needed clarification.

As for the TCDES, it's not the same thing as EMS. It's broader. EMS wasn't there. Neither was Austin Fire Dept, ESD 11 (also Fire), or the Fire Marshal. Not everything I posted was a contradiction of you. Much of the 2nd half of the post was mere observation.

Chill.

Now he seems to post every bad thing he can find

I post everything relevant/significant to this project. I've posted on the web more positive news about COTA than anyone, including COTA, and I still do. You won't find anyone anywhere who posts more positive news and/or photos about COTA than me. They don't exist.

You want me to be a blind cheerleader and only post feel-good fluff? Sorry. Not gonna happen. Feel free to tune out.

I'm glad some more people are starting to see it. There are a few on the Atlas forums who have caught on, too.

I can think of you, and to a much lesser extent, Ross, and Watkins. That's it.

But I think among fans, the negativity is limited to just a few vocal people. Very vocal.

That's just BS. I've pointed you repeatedly to the places where you can see fan discontent and confusion.

[peteskar]

does any one know when tix will be on sale and\or pricing?

[bhall]

I think more info on non-PSL ticketing will be released in June. As for pricing, I'd go ahead and start applying for mortgages or retain the services of an orthopedic surgeon to be on-call should you need to part with an arm and/or a leg.

[Pup]

I think it's a wild guess as to what the ticket prices will be. They've got tons of banking put in place for GA tickets, and can install as many temporary stands as they want. So there are a lot of tickets to be sold. The question is demand, and I guess that at least partly they will determine that by how many PSL's they've sold. If the idea was a bust, tickets will be cheap. If it was a stroke of genius, then tickets might still be pretty darn high, especially for any grandstand seats remaining.

I do think that GA tickets might be reasonable regardless. Of course it's all relative - it would be a miracle to see Indy level prices. That race was an absolute bargain.

I'd like to go, but if I do, it will probably be a last minute whim. More likely I'll wait until next year. Hotel shouldn't be a problem, since I'm sure HS will put me up for the weekend.

---

I'm very curious to see how the ticket sales go, though. I don't understand the sentiment against the PSL's myself. I mean, yeah they're crazy expensive. But it's a really bold move and if the demand is there, then it sends an incredible message to F1 about how wrong they were about the US market. So sure, as individuals we'd love for the tickets to be cheap, but as fans of the sport in the US, we should really be cheering them on and hoping they sell every last PSL they've got. It would certainly speak volumes on the affluence of Austin and central Texas if they did. I see it as an experiment, and one not without considerable risk. They're attempting the impossible, which is to make money in a deal with Bernie. People say that these guys don't know racing - maybe not, but they'll certainly fit right in won't they?

[hairy_scotsman]

Paul Mitchell? Patron?

Jon Paul DeJoria will speak at a ceremony April 12 commemorating the capping of the COTA pit building.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/ ... stone.html





Also, here's some registration info for any experienced Marshalls wanting to help out:

http://www.circuitoftheamericas.com/volunteer

[bhall]

I'm very curious to see how the ticket sales go, though. I don't understand the sentiment against the PSL's myself. I mean, yeah they're crazy expensive. But it's a really bold move and if the demand is there, then it sends an incredible message to F1 about how wrong they were about the US market. So sure, as individuals we'd love for the tickets to be cheap, but as fans of the sport in the US, we should really be cheering them on and hoping they sell every last PSL they've got. It would certainly speak volumes on the affluence of Austin and central Texas if they did. I see it as an experiment, and one not without considerable risk. They're attempting the impossible, which is to make money in a deal with Bernie. People say that these guys don't know racing - maybe not, but they'll certainly fit right in won't they?

Me thinks you may have strayed a bit too far from the reservation with that one. If it's possible, or even necessary, to change impressions held around the world of America's interest in F1, the best way to do that is to execute a flawless USGP. Sadly, I haven't seen too many indications that such will become a reality.

With regard to PSLs - and this is obviously just my opinion - I think they're immoral. The idea that someone should have to pay for the opportunity to pay for a ticket is the epitome of misguided greed. I hate that their cash-cow status within selected NFL markets has helped to spread their influence to other areas. It's my sincere hope that the lion's share of their success in the NFL is more related to a rabid fan base that creates waiting lists as long as 4,000 years for season tickets, rather than an indication that people are just becoming more and more amenable to being screwed by relentless profiteering.

[Pup]

I think if you want to apply morality to F1, you've got a long list of things to complain about before you get to ticket prices.

As to changing expectations, I don't think anyone questions whether people here know how to put on a race. There may be questions about CotA itself, but as for the country, we probably put on more big races in a summer than the rest of the world combined does in ten. The question is always about demand. People think that F1 is a niche market in the US. And maybe it is, but I think that even now that niche is much bigger than some think. We'll see. But I don't think that you can deny that if they do sell all those PSLs, at those prices, that it says something significant about the demand for F1 in the US.

[strad]

[Pup]

And I should add that I would be absolutely astonished if they do sell all of those PSLs. It seems beyond comprehension that they could.

Which, of course, is why I find it fascinating that they're trying.

[bhall]

Oh, I don't think F1 could even exist under the scrutiny of an eye for morality. That's why I limited my comments to PSLs in general.

And the ability to to put on a race is, I think, precisely what's in doubt. The 2005 USGP fiasco left a bad, bad taste in people's mouths, regardless of who was actually at fault. If it was purely a question of fan interest, all anyone would have to do is point to the USGP consistently being the most-attended GP of any given year that it's on the calender.

Instead, questions linger, and CotA seems to be doing everything in its power to inspire suspicion amongst observers. Is that a fair reflection of US interest in F1? No way. But, that doesn't mean the perception doesn't exist.

[Pup]

Does anyone blame Indy for that? I know that there's a Max camp and a Michelin camp, but I don't remember anyone blaming IMS. Honest question, I just don't remember. I do know that despite it being a long dead issue, people still get huffy about. So maybe we shouldn't dig it back up lest we start attracting flies.

To me, the only issue with CotA is their deal with Tavo. Everything else just seems to be rumor that seems to either come from leftover resentment from that deal or from local politics. There's never been any actual evidence that they are behind on construction or incompetent in any of their other dealings. It's all 100% speculation and bias.

They are sharks, no doubt. And with the Tavo deal, I'm of two minds. Yeah, they probably did him wrong, but then again Tavo probably had a chance to find a place within the organization and decided to fight it out instead. Just my opinion of course, and maybe we'll never know.

I do like the other risks that CotA has been willing to take. I like the fact that they were willing to halt construction of their project in a face off with Bernie. I like the fact that Bernie is none too pleased with them. I like that they're making bold gambles on ticket demand, and indeed in building the track itself. It's all very stereotypically Texas and I wouldn't have it any other way, really.

I mean, we've got what, 127 pages of talk about this race already. When has any other venue attracted this much attention and scrutiny? It's been a great show already, and they haven't even put down the asphalt.

[WhiteBlue]

It sounds to me like you know that your original argument is a lost cause, and now you're searching around for a way to twist it into something you can win.

This is your opinion which I don't share. It has nothing to do with reality. Both sources have common parts and additional material which isn't reported in the other.

You're trying to concentrate on the newspaper article as opposed to what actually was said. You're trying to use the newspaper's bias to bolster your own.

Your inaccurate interpretation. You accuse everybody of bias and you don't realize that your own opinion is one sided.

And since you've read the transcript, you know that it does not support what you're saying.

Again pure imagination on your side. Stop the paraphrasing and post accurate quotes!
Then we can have a discussion about what I know, what I'm saying and which documents support my comments or not.

You know that the deadline wasn't a reaction to anything, but rather just getting everything on the calendar for their own public hearing.

It is interesting to hear that interpretation. But again I don't "know" that. You see it that way. Another way is that the Travis County officials got tired of the meetings that went on without production of the documents they need.

And you also know that the weekly reports aren't due to a need to manage CotA's affairs, but are instead just intended for the various agencies to coordinate their efforts and to expedite any last minute changes.

Again this is not something I "know". It is another point of interpretation by you. My opinion is that Travis county is gone into crisis management mode and is now driving these items instead of waiting for CotA to deliver them. It is also my opinion that a properly managed and proactive permit process would have produced some of these documents without Travis County feeling the need to set dead lines.

I'm not going to address the rest your comments. They have been reported to the moderators.