By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
More than six months before the Las Vegas Grand Prix’s Nov. 21-23 race event, Formula 1 organizers are scheduled to start lane reductions along the 3.8-mile course in the busy Strip corridor from May 12-15.
The land closures are set for Harmon Avenue westbound, Sands Avenue eastbound and even section of of Las Vegas Boulevard southbound. It’s Clark County’s public roads, but F1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix treats the public right-of-way as its private track. And that’s OK with Clark County commissioners and government.
The road disruptions start Sunday in Part 1:
Then Part 2 is set for May 14 and 15, Tuesday and Wednesday.
It’s common for major events in Las Vegas to cause road closures and lane reductions, but the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix triggered disruptions to commerce, business and traffic like no other sports event in Las Vegas history.
In this particular case of next week’s lane closures, “This work is related to 2023 race road permits and not for the upcoming 2024 race,” Clark County spokesperson Jennifer Cooper told LVSportsBiz.com Friday.
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“F1 said they were only going to do work three months before the race. We are six months out and they are closing lanes again,” said Randy Markin, owner of Battista’s Hole in the Wall Italian restaurant on Flamingo Road.
“Someone in our government is giving F1 permission to start destroying roads and businesses without having a Special Use permit. F1 was directed by the county commissioners to meet with all of us and work things out. I still haven’t been contacted yet.”
The Super Bowl in February just three months ago prompted NFL event organizers to close several roads around Allegiant Stadium, but that was for only two or three weeks before the big game.
In this case, F1 road race organizers are closing lanes more than a half-year before the Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place in November.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix can do this with the permission of Clark County government, which refused to make public the Las Vegas Grand Prix traffic report last week.
It’s remarkable that the race organizer is already closing lanes starting Sunday, yet Clark County will not release the F1 traffic report to the public.