Formula 1 coming to Austin, Baby!

If Jean Alesi could hold down a ride for a decade, Nico shouldn't have any trouble picking up a new one!
smile.gif
 
You beat me to it!

If you were able to watch practice today, you saw the track itself holding together but the margins coming apart. Tavo cannot let that happen.
 
Yep...that's me. Had to work late, then went straight out there. Man, once I lose my tan, I don't need to be anywhere NEAR a camera.

Here's a repost of my posts at speed, planetf1, & formula1journal.com's new, revived forum...

First here's a link to the new forum at formula1journal.com:

The Link

...over there I'm "Wood" (at Speed & planetf1 I'm "hairy_scotsman"). I encourage y'all to register, browse, and post often. There are some very knowledgeable and insightful guys over there. It's a little dead right now, but I trust it'll pick up considerably. They have been very busy in the past.

Enjoy:

"Video & photos of lunch at Wild Bubba's with Tavo, Kevin Schwantz, and Friends:


I'm sure some of you have heard about the planned lunch in Elroy with members of 3 Points Partners. It was delayed due to a family emergency, but it finally came off yesterday, much better late than never!

Among those in attendance and enjoying some amazing Buffalo Burgers, Fried Coyote Tails, and Yak Burgers among other items on the literally WILD and varied menu were Tavo Hellmund, Kevin Schwantz, legal counsel Richard Suttle, Trey Salinas & Ally Putnam of 3 Points Partners, Vance Facundo & Matt Sager of Friends of Formula 1 Austin Texas, me, and of course, Bubba and the Wild Bubba's staff. Those are the attendees I could identify (I apologize to any others).

Everyone enjoyed some really terrific food and then Tavo stood and gave us an update of how things have been going. In the video, Tavo previews an upcoming announcement about some local architects and one big, well-known Texas architectural firm being added to the project. He also talked about many other items from Korea, the FIA, more open and constant communications with local officials, and Bernie's birthday present, to tweaks being made to the track layout, including speeding up the stadium section to some degree:


YouTube video


Thanks for the video, Vance & Matt. I took some video and did some audio recording, but yours is much better than mine!


photos


A good time was had by all and I'd like to add that nothing but excitement and gratitude were expressed by the Elroy and Del Valle residents I met. There wasn't a negative word to be heard! It was great to get out and meet many of the people I've communicated with about this only through the internet. I feel like we have a solid base to work with now for any upcoming activities and can work from here. As you can see in the video, Tavo did express his appreciation for our efforts thus far. I think I speak for all of us when I express my appreciation to Tavo Hellmund, Kevin Schwantz, FTP, and 3 Points Partners, for coming out and to Wild Bubba's for hosting us! I can't wait 'til we all meet up again!"
 
Good news! The COA Environmental Board has decided tonight to accept FTP's request for slope and cut variances for the track construction. One more hurdle passed!
 
$250M in financing in hand for building the track.

The Link

Notice a familiar name there?

BTW, I have recently been made a moderator for the recently reinstated message boards by flood1 over at formula1journal.com. Here's a link to the boards.

The Link

Y'all come on over, register, and post. Over there, I'm "Wood", at least until further notice.
 
Hey guys, Please help me get as many people on this as possible!To all Supporters of Formula 1,


Please show your support for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix (TM) this Tuesday, November 16:


(1) By emailing the Zoning and Platting Commission members at the addresses below before Tuesday, and be sure to sign your name:

I'd like to take this opportunity to note that all proceedings with the City of Austin have been mutually amicable. The City has been working in good faith to help the developers move the project along and stay on schedule. Please let your emails reflect that by sending a positive, friendly message for F1 and it's fans.


[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Below is one possible draft email that you may copy and paste or simply use as a framework for your own original email. Feel free to edit as you see fit.

In reply to:
Click to expand...
 
The Z & P Commission approved the cut & fill variances for FTP 5-1!

Thanks go out to everyone who helped by sending in their emails!!

Now let's all get ready to do it all over again for the City Council vote Thursday night. I believe that's the last major hurdle to clear before dirt can fly...



I'll follow this later with more info. Again, thanks everyone who is showing your support for this effort!
 
Hi again guys...

I took some photos of the latest detailed track model at tonight's Zoning & Platting Commission hearing and I thought you might want to take a peek. You'll see that it confirms what I've been saying about this venue being hilly and the track flowing with the terrain. Sorry I couldn't get more, better shots, but time was short with FTP staff trying to wrap things up and get out of there. I did get further confirmation that Tavo and the designers are working to reduce lap times by speeding up the stadium section and possibly removing the new turn that goes around the Motorsport Driving Club at the end of the esses.

Just click on the photos to go to my flickr site and see larger versions...

Enjoy:


IMAG0239 by terri177, on Flickr


IMAG0237 by terri177, on Flickr


IMAG0236 by terri177, on Flickr


IMAG0238 by terri177, on Flickr
 
Thanks for your continuing efforts mandingo. In addition to speeding the track I hope Tilke is taking to heart the Abu Dhabi complaints about the lack of passing areas.
 
I think he will/is, having been a driver himself.

You should have seen that model up close. The photos cannot do it justice. There were tiny contour relief lines and elevation showing every little bump perfectly. Some areas have camber, etc. It's soooo awesome.
 
Austin F1 Fans...Important Austin City Council Meeting coming up TOMORROW Morning!!!Your emails and/or attendance are greatly appreciated. Please help me get as many people on this as possible...I've been told the Z&P Commissioners commented on how many emails were sent for yesterday's hearing, and that it made a difference. Let's do it again!!Thanks in advance, guys!

Tim

Please show your support for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix (tm):

(1) TODAY, by emailing Austin City Council members at the addresses below before tomorrow, Thursday, 11/18/10. Also, be sure to sign your name:

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]



I'd like to take this opportunity to note that all proceedings with the City of Austin have been mutually amicable. The City has been working in good faith to help the developers move the project along and stay on schedule. Please let your emails reflect that by sending a positive, friendly message for F1, it's teams, it's sponsors, and most importantly it's fans.



Below is one possible draft email that you may copy and paste or simply use as a framework for your own original email. Feel free to edit as you see fit.

[quote title=Quote:]Dear Mayor and Council members,

As a strong advocate for bringing Formula 1 racing to Austin, Texas, I urge you to approve items #2 and #3 on the agenda for November 18 (service extension request and development reimbursement for water & wastewater improvements for the region that includes the United States Grand Prix site). These items are consistent with past requests made throughout Austin’s ETJ and have been recommended by City staff and the Water and Wastewater Commission. Additionally, the Environmental Board and Zoning and Platting Commission have recommended variances related to this project.

Supporting these variances will bring this project a step closer to becoming a reality. I am eager for the arrival of Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, and urge you to support these matters.

Sincerely,

Supporter of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix (tm) in Austin, Texas
 
Hi everyone...It was a long day waiting around for our turn at City Hall today...and then waiting for Chris Lehman from the Sierra Club to stop rambling through his off-topic, inaccurate fantasies...


...BUT when the Council finally got around to business with a vote, it went in our favor...7-0!

Just one more hurdle to clear before digging can begin...the County has to approve a floodplain variance the first week of December.

So far, so good.

Thanks to everyone who is helping us out on this. Your help truly IS appreciated by everyone involved!!
 
Thanks for hanging in there Mandingo.

The Austin Chronicle of all places actually had a very good article about the history of the Austin effort. Link
Flood 1 felt it was good enough to repeat on his site.Austin Chronicle
 
I read that Austin Chronicle article yesterday, it was surprisingly well-researched and written. On the editorial page, however, Nick Barbaro slams some aspects of the F1 effort, but it is mainly a criticism of hiring Richard Suttle, noted local development lawyer, rather than the idea of the track itself. All in all, the Chronicle does not seem to oppose the track, but doesn't want the city to get screwed by unfulfilled promises-their main beef was no guarantees on the infrastructure improvements paid for in advance, and the security the city will provide the track. If the venture doesn't pan out, the city would have paid millions for the water mains, oversized compared to what the city would have normally extended to the area.
And the state is being coy about guaranteeing reimbursement for the security personnel Austin would provide for such an event.
These issues may raise some caution flags, but don't appear insurmountable. Or I should say, these issues won't stop the development of the track. I hope the developers don't stick the community with large taxpayer funded bills that create ill will in Austin.
 
Great article by the Chronicle. One of the best on htis project I've seen anywhere. Thanks Viper.

I know nothing ar all about the security personnel issue, but the water mains, at least according to the COA's David Juarez, seem to be of a size that is exactly what the City desires. One of the main reasons they reimburse at 100% for lines greater than 24" is so they can have some influence over what's getting installed and so they can get people to install the large lines up front. That way the City doesn't have to come in and re-install them later in place of smaller lines when the cost for labor and materials would be higher. Also according to Juarez, while working with FTP, the City had input on the sizing of the lines...and secondary lines running to areas beyond the property (i.e. feeding the neighborhoods in the area that have no water now) will be laid during this construction, as some will run under the track.

This is a good deal for the City and for Elroy down the road. The City water guys that I saw and talked to yesterday were very excited about it.
 
F1 Fans...Important Travis County Commissioner's Court meeting coming up TOMORROW!!!
This is the last hurdle before USGP construction can begin...

Your emails and/or attendance are greatly appreciated. Please help me get as many people on this as possible...We've made a difference in the Water Commission, Zoning & Platting Commission, and City Council votes. Let's do it again!!

Thanks in advance, guys!

Tim



Please take a moment to email and/or call the Travis County Commissioners to show your support for the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix project in Austin Texas. The county will hold a meeting tomorrow, December 14, 2010 to vote on 2 specific requests to move the project forward. Every email and phone call counts, so spread the word as far and wide as possible.


County Judge Sam Biscoe: (512) 854-9555
Commissioner Ron Davis, Precinct 1: (512) 854-9111
Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt, Precinct 2: (512) 854-9222
Commissioner Karen Huber, Precinct 3: (512) 854-9333
Commissioner Margaret Gomez, Precinct 4: (512) 854-9444


Cut and paste the following addresses into a new email and include the template below. Feel free to personalize it to your liking or write your own. Every email and/or phone call helps!


Be sure to sign your name before emailing:


[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]



Dear Travis County Commissioners,



As a strong advocate for bringing Formula 1 racing to Austin, Texas, I urge you to approve item #9 on the December 14 agenda regarding a flood plain variance at the United States Grand Prix site. County staff has recommended approval of this request, and your support will allow this beneficial project to continue moving forward.



The Formula 1 project will serve as a catalyst for improvements in the City of Austin’s Desired Development Zone and along the SH 130 corridor that have long been needed.

Supporting this item will bring this project a step further to becoming a reality. I am eager for the arrival of Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, and urge you to support these matters.

Sincerely,



Supporter of the Formula 1 United States Grand PrixTM
 
Sorry for the delay everyone....had some errands to run for Christmas.

Item 9b, the floodplain variance passed today by a 4-1 vote, so construction (clearing and grading) can begin in the next few days! We've been told to expect lighter activity at first, building to the real heavy movers right after the 1st.

This is better summed up by this post snippet from another board: "Court voted 4-1 to approve a variance for the construction of the Austin F1 track by allowing work to proceed pending approval of a Flood Plain map revision via a review by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The county will revisit the issue in 6 months if the "Conditional Letter of Map Revision" has not been received from FEMA by then, but most of them are processed within that time frame."

Also, Texas Natural Resources Commission staff was very confident the CLOMR would be approved easily within the 6 month timeframe, as was FEMA staff, as the Flood Plain overlaps were only minor, occurring only in small "fingers" of the floodplain. FTP has put up a $921,000+ assurance that the entire area would be cleaned up should the CLOMR not be approved...more than double that needed per a contractor's estimate. These were contributing factors in today's approval.


Item 9a, the road issue, was deferred to a later date in January, as it doesn't affect construction startup. This was not unexpected, imho.


Thanks to everyone who helped lobby the Commissioners! Every little bit helps!
 
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