LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The race to return to normal is on, following this past weekend's inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.
On Monday, crews could be seen tearing down much of the F1 landscape but it could be months before they finish. The timeline is causing concern for business owners who say they can’t hold on much longer.
“How can we survive if nobody is coming for our business,” said Jimmy Singh, manager at Las Vegas Souvenirs & Gifts.
Singh says they have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars since F1 construction first started. The shop is located directly in front of a section of the Formula 1 racetrack.
“I’m like going down and down every day,” Singh said about his sales.
On average, Singh said he is used to seeing thousands of customers a week, but that’s not the case anymore.
“I think we get like 15 to 20 customers per day,” Singh said.
Singh said the reason for the drop in customers is because of a temporary bridge that was built to help traffic move through as the Formula 1 landscape was coming together. But as the bridge went up, surrounding businesses began to fall apart.
At the Arco gas station next door, clerk Michael Gorbe says sales are also suffering.
“It’s really bad,” Gorbe said.
The bridge was intended to be temporary but at a Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority meeting in mid-November, President Steve Hill announced it may become a permanent fixture east of the Las Vegas Strip.
“Developing a permanent bridge for that intersection would be a complete change,” Hill said.
“I don't know how long I can open my business. It’s very hard for us,” Singh said.
Discussions about the permanent bridge at Flamingo Road and Koval Lane are currently happening between the LVCVA, Clark County and F1.
