Commissioners to discuss impact of upcoming Las Vegas Formula One race

The Clark County Commission will receive a presentation from Las Vegas Grand Prix officials on Tuesday about its plans to address road traffic concerns ahead of the second installment of the Formula One race in November.

The commission will be asked to approve a special permit for the race allowing organizers to close roads around the track, including Las Vegas Boulevard. Residents weren’t pleased with traffic delays last year caused by repaving roads and other track construction during the creation of the course.

The year’s race is Nov. 21-23. The 3.8-mile track includes Sands Avenue, Las Vegas Boulevard, Koval Lane and Harmon Avenue.

“(Las Vegas Grand Prix) will not only highlight the proposed road work impacts and closures but will also identify the resources to make the public to be aware of these impacts and how to navigate around them,” Clark County spokesperson Jennifer Cooper told the Sun in an email. “Additionally, (Las Vegas Grand Prix) will talk about their community engagement activities and will take questions from the board.”

Race officials submitted a traffic report May 1 with improvement plans that is “a couple thousand pages in length,” Cooper said. It is being reviewed by the Clark County Department of Public works as part of the licensing process.

Commissioners have previously said they would pull their support for the race if the Las Vegas Grand Prix team did not find ways to mitigate the disruption to the community, especially for hospitality workers and other Strip employees who battled road closures during their commute.

Commissioner Tick Segerblom told the Sun in February the Las Vegas Grand Prix would need a special events permit annually, despite having signed a multiyear contract.

“To me, unless they’re willing to dramatically change the way they do business, it will be very difficult,” Segerblom said. “If we’re gonna keep doing this, we’re going to have to really minimize the impact to the community.”

One immediate change: Construction for the 2024 race will be reduced to three months. Last year, it was 10 months.

Additionally, communication with residents will be enhanced, including weekly reports starting in September detailing road closures and delays, Cooper said.

Commissioners on Tuesday will learn details about a proposal that would create a new department within the county dedicated to sports and special events.

In the aftermath of the inaugural race, commissioners asked county staff to “develop a high-impact special events process to modernize county operations” as the region continues to draw large events such as the Grand Prix and the Super Bowl.

County officials said in a staff report they believe the department and an eventual “special events process” will allow for smoother operations, better communication with partner agencies and other county departments and continuous evaluation of how the county handles “increasing requests for special events.”

The proposal, which wouldn’t be voted on until the commission’s next meeting Aug. 20, would “centralize the special events process for the county” and includes elements such as requirements for special event applications and operations.