Petition to the Clark County Commission and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

To the Honorable Members of the Clark County Commission and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority,

We, the undersigned residents, business owners, and concerned citizens, and visitors of Las Vegas, hereby demand immediate revisions to the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix to significantly reduce its impact on the Las Vegas Strip, key secondary roads, and surrounding areas. The current scope and duration of this commercial event, which disrupts our city for over four months annually, is unacceptable and not in the public interest.

The Formula 1 race, while a three-day event, cripples the Las Vegas Strip and adjacent areas, including key secondary roads such as Harmon, Koval, Sands, and Flamingo, for more than one-third of the year. This prolonged disruption severely impacts public roads, pedestrian walkways, and the entire region surrounding these areas, placing an undue burden on residents, businesses, and visitors. The extensive setup and teardown periods create significant obstacles, including:

• Obstruction of Public Safety: The closure of key roadways and pedestrian passages, including Harmon, Koval, Sands, and Flamingo, hinders the timely response of emergency vehicles, including police, fire, and ambulance services, compromising public safety across a broader region.
• Severe Traffic Disruptions: The event obstructs all modes of transportation, including public buses, transportation network companies (TNCs), taxis, and personal vehicles, with secondary roads like Harmon, Koval, Sands, and Flamingo becoming heavily congested or inaccessible, exacerbating gridlock and economic losses for residents, workers, and visitors throughout the region.
• Negative Economic Impact: While claims of economic benefits are made, they fail to account for the prolonged negative impact on local businesses, particularly those reliant on access to secondary roads and the Strip, and the tourism industry, which suffer from reduced accessibility and a marred visitor experience.
• Diminished Visitor Experience: The appeal of Las Vegas as a premier destination is undermined for millions of visitors who encounter construction barriers, traffic gridlock, and restricted access to public spaces across the Strip and surrounding areas, with no direct interest or benefit from the race.

We assert that the current scale and duration of disruptions caused by the Formula 1 event are unreasonably excessive for a commercial endeavor. The decision to allow such extensive interference with public infrastructure, local economy, safety, and accessibility should not be made without the consent of the residents of Clark County. We demand the following immediate actions:

1. Revise the Event Scope: Restrict the duration of road closures, construction, and other disruptions to a reasonable timeframe that does not exceed one month annually, ensuring minimal impact on the Las Vegas Strip, secondary roads like Harmon, Koval, Sands, and Flamingo, and the surrounding region.
2. Prioritize Public Safety: Implement measures to ensure unobstructed access for emergency vehicles on the Strip and key secondary roads at all times during event preparations and execution.
3. Mitigate Traffic Impacts: Develop and enforce a comprehensive traffic management plan that maintains viable transportation options for public buses, TNCs, taxis, and personal vehicles on the Strip and secondary roads, minimizing regional congestion.
4. Restore Public Access: Ensure pedestrian walkways and key public spaces on and around the Strip, Harmon, Koval, Sands, and Flamingo remain accessible to residents and visitors, preserving the appeal and functionality of Las Vegas.
5. Public Funds and Budget: Conduct a full and transparent analysis of costs to the local economy and community, including negative impacts on businesses, costs of public resources such as overtime for public employees (e.g., Police, Public Works, and other roles), and other expenses borne by the community due to the event’s extensive disruptions.
6. Community Input: Put decisions regarding the future scale and impact of the Formula 1 event to a public vote, allowing Clark County residents to determine whether such a commercial event aligns with the public interest.
7. Participating Businesses: Businesses that choose to participate and enjoy any economic benefit directly or indirectly shall be mandated to conduct alterations within the boundaries of their own property and not encroach on public thoroughfares. For example, should Bellagio choose to allow their property to be used for grandstand viewing, the erection of such unsightly and obstructive alterations shall be limited to their property. Currently, this renders one of the busiest pedestrian sidewalks unusable for four months, as well as two lanes of the Las Vegas Strip at the most traveled section of this public roadway, which under normal conditions is overly congested.

The undersigned demand immediate relief from the excessive disruptions caused by the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. We call for the restoration of public access, safety, and enjoyment of the Las Vegas Strip, key secondary roads, and surrounding areas, which are vital to our community and economy. The current takeover of public infrastructure for four months annually is neither reasonable nor sustainable, and we urge the Clark County Commission and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to act swiftly in the greater public interest. We demand that the elected officials of Clark County place the public interest before commercial interests and corporate profit at the expense of the community.

Signed,