LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The 2024 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix is now over, but how did this year's construction and traffic backups leading up to the race and during the Grand Prix compare to last year?
I went out in our community and spoke to locals to see how it was navigating the roadways around the Grand Prix.
“Total time of it being congested got shorter, but I don’t think the impact, it didn’t improve traffic from what I noticed," said Myles McMahan, who works on the Strip frequently.
McMahan says it was difficult working near all the construction and closures.
“It makes even getting equipment or logistically working or doing anything in that area becomes really difficult," said McMahan.
Several locals I've spoken with tell me "Hot Track" closures caused the worst backups.
“Even our online orders we can’t deliver because it’s impossible to go after a closure," said Joe's New York Pizza General Manager Steve Jambor.
"Hot Track" closures were in place nightly Wednesday through Saturday, with the track on Las Vegas Boulevard, Sands Avenue, Koval Lane and Harmon Avenue closed, as well as all the entrances to the track.
That caused major backups all around the track, including one on Paradise and Flamingo. Many described the road as a parking lot all night long during these closures.
Joe's New York Pizza is a locally owned pizza shop with three locations. One of the locations Jambor manages is in the shopping center northeast of the Harmon Avenue and Paradise Road intersection.
He says even food delivery services couldn't reach them.
"So yeah, somebody like an Uber Eats or Doordash they weren’t even able to pick up the orders if someone ordered online, right? Yes, that’s correct," said Jambor.
Jambor says there was a silver lining this year, though. Except for the four "Hot Track" closure days, the rest of the construction was much improved compared to last year.
“Meaning it’s kind of better for local people and driving around," said Jambor.
“It was much less disruptive into the community, and that mattered a lot to everyone involved," said Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority President and CEO Steve Hill.
Hill tells me F1 will continue to focus on locals as he hopes they're back for many years to come.
He says he expects LVCVA will start talking with Liberty Media, the company that owns F1, about the grand prix's future in Las Vegas.
"I think we'll get into a conversation; I don't know if that will determine right away a negotiation, but a conversation on how to extend what we have right now is a 3-year deal that the third year would be next year," said Hill. "We want to have those conversations prior to that event and the expiration of that contract and talk about what we all learned and how we could make this better."
Liberty Media has contracts with several community partners and municipalities in our valley, so the contract referred to by Steve Hill is that from LVCVA and Liberty Media, not the one with Clark County.
If a long-term deal is struck between LVCVA and Liberty Media, separate contracts must be reached with Clark County and other partners to have the race continue past current contracts.
I asked Hill how long he would like to see Formula 1 in Las Vegas.
"I want to see them here forever," said Hill. "This is a fantastic event. It means so much in so many ways to the resort industry and to the entire community. This is something we need to keep they're committed to staying here, we love that idea."
Hill tells me he believes there have been significant changes to this year's race compared to last year, including the connection with the community and the impact of the race.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix team is already planning for next year's race, taking deposits on all ticket options.
