F1 moving swiftly out of Las Vegas Strip area as incoming events prepare to arrive

Ryan Matthey
·2 min read
31

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — It took half a year to put it all up, and now it’s a race to take Formula One down before other events arrive in Las Vegas.

A week after the racing giant sped in and out of town, 3.8 miles of temporary structures were left behind: lights, bridges, and, of course, flashy grandstands where tickets could cost as much as $10,000 each.

<em>The Harmon and Las Vegas Boulevard intersection – once turns 14, 15, and 16 of the circuit</em> – <em>still sees towering structures and concrete barriers a week after the race. </em>(KLAS)
The Harmon and Las Vegas Boulevard intersection – once turns 14, 15, and 16 of the circuit – still sees towering structures and concrete barriers a week after the race. (KLAS)

The dismantle started the day after the Saturday night race. Now, Las Vegas Boulevard is less of a racetrack than just days prior as 10-foot-tall barriers have disappeared and pedestrian bridge obstructions are almost completely peeled off.

<em>The 10-foot-tall barriers with concrete bases that once isolated Caesars Palace from Las Vegas Boulevard have come down within the week after the race.</em> (KLAS)
The 10-foot-tall barriers with concrete bases that once isolated Caesars Palace from Las Vegas Boulevard have come down within the week after the race. (KLAS)

Lights and their adjoining stanchions still wrap around the Strip, Harmon Avenue, Koval Lane, and Sands Avenue. MGM Resorts confirmed in September that some of the trees removed around the iconic Bellagio fountain for the eventual Fountain Club would be replanted before New Year’s Eve.

Bellagio fountain trees begin to come down for November’s F1 Las Vegas race

As for the grandstands, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) President and CEO Steve Hill said they’re coming down too.

“(Hotel and casino operators) certainly don’t want to commit long term because that land is so valuable,” Hill said after the Nov. 14 LVCVA board meeting, speaking of the thousands of elevated seats that were mostly installed on hospitality property.

F1 takedown could take up to 8 weeks after race, temporary bridge could become permanent

But, what has added value, Hill said, is the temporary vehicle bridge over Koval on Flamingo Road. Due to reported increases in traffic flow at this intersection, a permanent bridge could be built for future races that would help with traffic year-round.

<em>The two vehicle bridges along Harmon will be deconstructed.</em> (KLAS)
The two vehicle bridges along Harmon will be deconstructed. (KLAS)

“Developing a permanent bridge for that intersection would be a complete change in the disruption that folks here would feel while (the race is) being built and while it’s being torn down,” Hill said.

While the takedown is F1’s responsibility, Las Vegas Grand Prix officials have yet to publicly comment on a timeline. Hill said it could take up to eight weeks after racing events concluded.

If the frustrated drivers aren’t enough to pressure crews to work swiftly, several large incoming events might.

<em>Outside the Bellagio takedown construction continues to eliminate two lanes of southbound traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard. </em>(KLAS)
Outside the Bellagio takedown construction continues to eliminate two lanes of southbound traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard. (KLAS)

“We want to make sure we don’t disrupt the National Finals Rodeo. Amazon will be here with AWS immediately – they’ll start setting up immediately after the race,” Hill said, acknowledging the convention and rodeo scheduled for this and next week.

Both events may pale in comparison — at least from an attendance standpoint — to the crowds that will descend on Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve fireworks. While Clark County remains optimistic of being “back to normal” by then, it remains to be seen if spectators will watch the show in the sky through scaffolding.

The same service that provided F1 construction updates has now switched to dismantling updates. Those who text ‘F1LV’ to 31996 receive weekly updates via text about upcoming road closures near the resort corridor.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.