COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

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What do you think of the prospect of a USGP 2012 at Austin Texas

Good thinking. Place has good infra structure and nice climate in winter.
126
47%
Not good as it has no motor sport tradition in the US.
23
9%
I will wait to see how it will shape up.
97
36%
I don't care.
23
9%
 
Total votes: 269

bhall
bhall
244
Joined: 28 Feb 2006, 21:26

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

USF1 is why I quietly wish the United States Grand Prix could be called something other than that - the CotA Grand Prix would be just fine - until they earn the right to carry the country's name in the title. I'm sick of baffoons doing little more than waving the flag and advancing stereotypes on the world stage.

User avatar
strad
117
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 01:57

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

I'm not allowed a thumbs up...sorry.
To achieve anything, you must be prepared to dabble on the boundary of disaster.”
Sir Stirling Moss

Pup
Pup
50
Joined: 08 May 2008, 17:45

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

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bhallg2k wrote:Apple is a very well-known and reputable company with a massive, enthusiastic and loyal following. CotA, on the other hand, can claim none of those things.

I'm tellin' you, man, I really want this to succeed. For one thing, I've never even seen an F1 car outside of a television or computer screen. I don't know about you, but I think that's rather weird considering how much time and passion I've put into following this game. So, I'm positively dying to change that as soon as possible. But, I simply cannot ignore the veritable cacophony of voices in my head that urge cautious optimism at best.
Hopefully the general admission tickets will be reasonable then. I remember my first time at Indy, getting out of the car outside the track in the middle of practice 1 and the sound, the SOUND! General admission is the way to go anyway. You get much closer to the action. I think the berms in front of the esses will be killer.

hairy_scotsman
hairy_scotsman
15
Joined: 13 Nov 2010, 22:47

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

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strad wrote:I'm not allowed a thumbs up...sorry.
Why? What happened to your thumbs-up capability?
Follow me on twitter @Austin_F1 ...

User avatar
ArchAngel
2
Joined: 15 Feb 2010, 11:22

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

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bhallg2k wrote:USF1 is why I quietly wish the United States Grand Prix could be called something other than that - the CotA Grand Prix would be just fine - until they earn the right to carry the country's name in the title. I'm sick of baffoons doing little more than waving the flag and advancing stereotypes on the world stage.
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skgoa
skgoa
3
Joined: 19 Feb 2012, 14:20

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

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bhallg2k wrote:Apple is a very well-known and reputable company with a massive, enthusiastic and loyal following. CotA, on the other hand, can claim none of those things.
And these loyal fans dropped from the sky? His main point - that you can't go "it will never work" the first time someone tries something new - is true.

hairy_scotsman
hairy_scotsman
15
Joined: 13 Nov 2010, 22:47

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

Circuit of the Americas seeks assistance from Travis County for roadwork:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/formula ... 86326.html
Follow me on twitter @Austin_F1 ...

Pup
Pup
50
Joined: 08 May 2008, 17:45

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

So the circuit is offering to pay 100% of the cost of the roads up front, but are asking to be reimbursed from the county for a percentage of that once the work is done. And the amount of the reimbursement will be determined by the county itself?

Seems quite reasonable to me, since much of that work was planned by the county anyway and the residents will obviously get a benefit from the roads.

Are they offering to build the roads themselves also? It sounds like it, but they didn't say so explicitly in the article.

Also, Commissioner Eckhardt, who was quoted, is against the project in its entirety, yes? It seemed from that transcript that the other commissioners were more than a bit fed up with her, I thought.

hairy_scotsman
hairy_scotsman
15
Joined: 13 Nov 2010, 22:47

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

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The spokesperson said "The percentage of reimbursement would be determined with county officials".

So that seems like a negotiation of the cost sharing, which is what they've been deadlocked on for a year now.

FWIW, both sides should pay, imho. Those roads are horrible and have been in need of repair for years, so the county should pay for that. Now the roads need widening and one needs extending for event access, so COTA should pay as well.

Eckhardt's a PITA, but so is Gomez. Gomez is just better at it. Huber & Davis just sat there, & Judge Biscoe (who is the man, imho) ran the show.
Follow me on twitter @Austin_F1 ...

hairy_scotsman
hairy_scotsman
15
Joined: 13 Nov 2010, 22:47

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

That last paragraph was interesting, too. It was like Sexton said "Oh, btw, since I'm here asking for stuff anyway, could y'all throw us a tax abatement too?"
Follow me on twitter @Austin_F1 ...

Pup
Pup
50
Joined: 08 May 2008, 17:45

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

He's probably been paying attention to the Apple deal, and figures, 'why can't I have some of that tax lovin', too?'

Somehow, I don't see it happening. Kudos for asking, though. :lol:

User avatar
WhiteBlue
92
Joined: 14 Apr 2008, 20:58
Location: WhiteBlue Country

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

Travis County Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt:
This looks like a very ambitious business proposal that is having trouble meeting its financial obligation. And so they are looking to the county to subsidize a portion of their startup costs.
This sounds like a familiar scheme to me. Trouble to meet it's financial obligation was the reason for breaking the company contract according to Hellmund's legal appeal.
Formula One's fundamental ethos is about success coming to those with the most ingenious engineering and best .............................. organization, not to those with the biggest budget. (Dave Richards)

User avatar
Pierce89
60
Joined: 21 Oct 2009, 18:38

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

Post

ArchAngel wrote:
bhallg2k wrote:USF1 is why I quietly wish the United States Grand Prix could be called something other than that - the CotA Grand Prix would be just fine - until they earn the right to carry the country's name in the title. I'm sick of baffoons doing little more than waving the flag and advancing stereotypes on the world stage.
........................,,--~--,,
......................./:.:.:.:.:.|
......................|;.;.;.;.;.;/
............._,,,,,_.);.;.;.;.;.|
.........,,-":.:.:.:."~-,;.;.;.;|
........(_,,,,---,,_:.:.);.;.;..",,
......,-":.:.:.:.:.""-,,/;.;.;.;.;."
.....(:.__,,,,,,,,,___);.;.;.;.;.;|
...../"":.:.:.:.:.:.:¯""\;.;.;.;.;"
....\",__,,,,,,,,,,,__/;;;;;;;;;/\
.....\.::.:.:.:.:.:.:.;.);;;;;;;;;/::\
.......\,,,,,---~~~~;;;;;;;,":::\
.........."""~~--,,,,,,,,,,-"::::::\
...................\:::::::::::::::::::::::\
a snmiley or a +1 would have sufficed. :D
“To be able to actually make something is awfully nice”
Bruce McLaren on building his first McLaren racecars, 1970

“I've got to be careful what I say, but possibly to probably Juan would have had a bigger go”
Sir Frank Williams after the 2003 Canadian GP, where Ralf hesitated to pass brother M. Schumacher

User avatar
strad
117
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 01:57

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

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hairy_scotsman wrote:
strad wrote:I'm not allowed a thumbs up...sorry.
Why? What happened to your thumbs-up capability?
Now I'm not allowed to say. :(
To achieve anything, you must be prepared to dabble on the boundary of disaster.”
Sir Stirling Moss

munudeges
munudeges
-14
Joined: 10 Jun 2011, 17:08

Re: 2012 US GP to be held in Austin

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strad wrote:I can understand that. I'm still stinging from the USF1 or whatever Windsors bad joke was called.
From where I sit this thread has a very similar feel to what USF1 had, and it will probably get deserted just as fast..........