Many local residents are not happy about this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, which they say has had a negative impact on their lives since preparations began. The likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will be taking to the streets in Sin City but not everybody is looking forward to the event despite it being billed as one of the highest-profile races in recent memory.
Formula One chiefs are under immense pressure to ensure the success of the Las Vegas Grand Prix after being subjected to widespread criticism from locals over the last few months. Residents have spoken out in numbers about how they have been impacted by the large-scale construction work required, which has left many people feeling overlooked and disrespected.
“Life as I knew it ended when that construction started,” local author Lisa Lindell told Jalopnik, while another resident named Celeste said: “The frustration, inconvenience and blatant disdain for residents living in Las Vegas is evident by the lack of information and coordination with everyone except the promoters of this exhibition.”
One of the biggest complaints has been related to the ‘lack of information and coordination’ available for local residents, with commute times having been severely impacted by the construction work in Las Vegas. Flight costs and hotel prices have also skyrocketed in the city, potentially affecting the famous casinos, with a planned hospitality strike being cancelled earlier this week just in time for the Grand Prix.
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A third anonymous resident fumed: “The casinos run this town. Liberty Media is used to bilking sponsors, municipalities, and remote race tracks. They are not accustomed to dealing with very high-powered corporations who are in the business of doing the bilking, not being bilked.
“If the casinos don’t see a massive recurring profit that offsets the pain from construction and teardown, then this race will be dead. No one gives a c*** about the sport.”
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Although the vast majority of Las Vegas residents appear to be strongly opposed to this weekend’s Grand Prix, others have pointed out the benefits of hosting the race in the iconic city. F1 organisers have shelled out more than £71million on repaving part of Las Vegas Boulevard, which will be used heavily by locals and tourists after the event is over.
Another resident explained: “Before you blame a single event for all the problems in Las Vegas, buy a plane ticket, rent a car and see for yourself. A handful of vocal people want to blame F1 for the terrible condition of our local streets. F1 is spending $90m to repave a huge part of Las Vegas Boulevard that hasn’t been repaved for more than 20 years. [F1] will use this pavement for three days. The rest of the year, the county benefits.”
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