Permission has been granted for the Las Vegas Grand Prix to be staged on the city’s iconic Strip until the year 2032 after the Clark County Commission passed a motion to secure the event’s long-term future.
The inaugural event in November will be the first of a three-year deal, but Tuesday’s ruling by the Clark County Commission opened the door to make the grand prix a permanent fixture.
“I think it’s important to note that we have a three-year contract with Formula One, but we anticipate a lifetime in partnership,” Clark County commissioner James Gibson said.
“This will open the pathway to be able to do it for at least 10 years. And then beyond that, I’m sure that those who succeed us will see the value in what we’ve done and continue doing it forever.”
The ruling also granted certain waivers, including the use of Las Vegas Boulevard South, on the basis that the closure takes place “Wednesday through Sunday, the week prior to the Thanksgiving holiday in November in the years 2023 through 2032”. The wording indicates the race’s current date towards the end of the F1 season is here to stay.
Unusually for an F1 race, Las Vegas is set to host its event on a Saturday evening — a rarity in a calendar featuring grand prix events on Sundays.
The race will feature some of the city’s most famous landmarks, hotels and casinos, and F1 itself has invested heavily in the construction of the paddock facilities and the promotion of the event.
The 3.8-mile (6.2-kilometer) circuit will see cars flash by Caesars Palace, the Bellagio fountains and Mandalay Bay, as well as the ball-shaped MSG Sphere.