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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
The Strip has been closed before for events like the New Year’s Eve celebration, running races and bicycle rides.
But Las Vegas’ main commercial artery has not seen anything like this.
A 50-lap car race has Clark County government all in as the Strip received a repaving job and grandstand construction work.
But not everyone around Las Vegas is happy about the disruption, headaches and traffic jams caused by the road paving, grandstand construction and closed roads as part of the preparation of Formula One’s Las Vegas Grand Prix Nov. 18. The event’s related activities have been slated for a Nov. 16-18 window.
This week, LVSportsBiz.com saw pedestrians walking on the Strip itself and not on a sidewalk from race-related construction on the west side of Las Vegas Boulevard just south of Caesars.
Here was the scene a few days ago:
The opinions have been mixed.
Workers trying to get hotel jobs on the Strip told county commissioners that the road closures and paving work along the 3.8-mile course along the entertainment corridor has delayed their commutes to work and caused them to start driving 90 minutes to two hours earlier.
Others don’t buy the race hype.
Others point to big-spending visitors, especially international tourists, who will bring dollars to the Las Vegas economy.
LVSportsBiz.com asked two Raiders players, running back Jakob Johnson and punter A.J. Cole, about their thoughts on Formula One coming to Las Vegas. Both were pleased the sport has expanded to their town, though, like everyone else, they mentioned the race-related construction traffic has been a headaches.
Johnson mentioned that the traffic causes him to “get pissed every morning,” but he’s looking forward to the route getting repaved and noted the sport’s popularity in Europe.
The Raiders will be on the road playing in Miami the weekend of the F1 race event in Las Vegas.
Here’s Cole adding his thoughts.
The Las Vegas hospitality industry bought into the F1 event here because November, traditionally, has less tourists than most months in this market. For example, there were 3,265,500 tourists in November 2022. The only months with less tourists in Las Vegas in 2022 were January, February and August, according to data recorded by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).
Tragedy struck a grandstand construction site at the Bellagio where a worker sustained an injury that led to his death.
OSHA is investigating the death of the ironworker five days ago on Saturday.