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Formula 1 United States Grand Prix

Hotel Bookings will Help Austin Youth

Today Circuit of The Americas announced their partnership with Austin-based Hotels for Hope, the social enterprise that raises funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations that positively impact the lives of children. COTA and H4H are teaming up to raise money for Central Texas youth-focused nonprofits through hotel rooms booked for our November F1 race.

// How It Works

Participating hotels will make a $1 donation per actualized room night, with Hotels for Hope matching that donation. That means $2 for every hotel room night booked through Hotels for Hope in relation to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ will go to the Hotels for Hope Fund, which will then distribute those monies to Austin Partners in Education and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area. Monies donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area will be dedicated to the Boys & Girls Club program now being developed in the Del Valle Independent School District.

Neil Goldman, Hotels for Hope founder and owner, added:

Hotels for Hope is excited to work with Circuit of The Americas to provide this important community service in conjunction with the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™, an international sports and entertainment event. Since its inception just two years ago, Hotels for Hope has already made a significant contribution to our partner beneficiaries, all of which make a direct impact on the lives of children. We look forward to helping guests plan for their trip to Central Texas while raising funds and awareness for two very special organizations that help local kids lead healthier, happier and more fulfilled lives.

COTA Executive Vice President Bruce Knox is also excited about the partnerhsip:

Giving back to the Central Texas community that supports us—and making special provisions for children and young adults—is very important to Circuit of The America’s owners and employees. Tens of thousands of guests, including motorsports enthusiasts from around the world, will be visiting Central Texas as part of the return of Formula 1 racing to the United States. This collaborative effort with Hotels for Hope allows us to capitalize on the tremendous boost to regional tourism that the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ will bring to our area by also creating a way for visitors to support local nonprofits that make a real difference in the lives of young people.

// When and Where Can I Book?

We have been informed that hotel bookings in Austin will be available around the same time that general admission tickets will go on sale, which is "early summer," or in mid-June. Guests booking hotel rooms for the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™ can make their reservations through the Circuit of The Americas website, which will interface with the Hotels for Hope online reservations tool. Travelers securing accommodations through this process automatically generate a donation and no further action is required on the traveler's part.

We at The Austin Grand Prix are personally excited for our friends at Hotels for Hope and have seen the positive impacts that they have on the Austin community. We started offering hotel bookings through their system last summer and look forward to continuing to support such a worthwhile cause. We will continue to update you with further information as it becomes available.

COTA Honors Project Team with Construction Milestone Ceremony

// More Photos in the Gallery: COTA Topping Out Ceremony

 // Ceremony

Earlier today, hundreds of hard-working Austin Commercial workers, contracting businesses and team members were recognized for their hard work at a "Topping Out" ceremony at the Circuit of The Americas. A tradition around the world, Topping Out ceremonies celebrate the completion of structural work on a project as an honorary evergreen tree is placed alongside state and national flags atop the structure; this symbolizes growth and is said to bring ongoing luck to a construction project.

Supporters gathered at the southeast point of the three-leval, 270,000 square foot pit building where the symbolic tree was hoisted after a ceremony. Guests shared in the excitement as Circuit investors Red McCombs and Bobby Epstein presented State Senator Judith Zaffirini, Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gomez, Austin Commercial SVP Bill McAdoo and newly announced Circuit investor and local entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria. They each shared what the premium sports, entertainment and business development facility in southeast Travis County meant to them before placing tokens of today into a time capsule, to be buried and then opened in 25 years.

Red McCombs added a newly-minted silver dollar after joking about holding onto it for its current value. Bobby Epstein included a packet of Texas wild flowers; instead of a previously planned neighborhood in this locale, Circuit of The Americas will work to showcase and preserve the natural beauty of Texas Hill County. State Senator Judith Zaffirini delivered an inspiring speech before rolling up a 2012 Formula 1 driver lineup poster to the time capsule. She highlighted F1 driver Sergio Perez's excitement for Circuit of The Americas as his home circuit and emulated what many Americans already feel, "Mi Casa, Su Casa," in order to open our doors to our international neighbors and friends. Bill McAdoo added a current COTA site plan while John Paul DeJoria dropped a CD of Austin music into the box, signifying our recognition as The Live Music Capitol of The World.

Circuit president Steve Sexton also recognized the hard work and effort of all:

This project has required the continuous efforts from many different groups and individuals throughout the area. This ceremony marks a significant milestone in the construction. It was important for us to celebrate this achievement with the many people that have helped make it possible.

Each of the speakers took time to congratulate the truly stellar team of workers who've worked hard to make this project a reality.  In just one year, the project has transformed from little more than a bare piece of land into an amazing display of hard work and dedication from all parties involved.

Following the ceremony, everyone was invited into the neighboring media center to have some good 'ole Salt Lick BBQ.  Arguably the best in the state, if not country, Salt Lick proudly served the hundreds of workers and guests their famous menu, complete with ribs, brisket and some blueberry cobbler - Yum!

// Construction Milestones

Here is a list of the latest accomplishments that we are celebrating:

  • Support beams installed in the highest point of the pit building, which is completely structurally erected;
  • One third of the pit building's roof has been installed;
  • More than half of the requisite structural steel has been installed in the permanent grandstand building;
  • The road base for the racetrack between Turn 19 (T19) and Turn 20 (T20) has been installed;
  • Exterior stone work on the media, technology and conference center is underway;
  • Access roads through the paddock area (by the pit building) are taking shape;
  • Dirt backfill around the Tunnel 1 area has been completed with crews shaping the racetrack to cross over the Tunnel 1 structure;
  • Topsoil if going into sections of the infield with grass planting to happen next in those areas; and
  • Amphitheater is taking shape with crews finishing the earth moving to that area.

By the numbers:

  • 3.5 million cubic yards of dirt have been moved on the job to date, with 780,000 cubic yards of dirt brought onto the site;
  • 711.5 tons of steel for the permanent grandstand have been erected
  • 78,000 yards of concrete have been poured; and
  • 550 workers are currently onsite and involved in the construction process.

// Looking Back, Yet Ahead

It's almost hard to believe this is what Circuit of The Americas looked like one short year ago:

On Location at the Circuit Of The Americas from The Austin Grand Prix on Vimeo.

// See You Sunday!

Don't forget to join us on Sunday for our Downtown Watch Party for the Formula 1 UBS Chinese Grand Prix! Click here for further details.

F1 at SXSW 2012

The first day of SXSW Interactive Festival included a presentation by Geoff Moore, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Circuit of The Americas. You may remember our chat with him at Innotech technology conference last year (if not, here's the video). Geoff was back to talk about the science behind F1 racing.

If NASCAR is about speed and power and drivers, then F1 is about precision, engineering and difficulty.

He went past the COTA venue presentation to get into some neat technical details of the sport. The Austin Chronicle was in attendance and posted a great recap of his preso, so check it out if you missed the live event. Geoff also shared some great photos from a recent visit to the McLaren Technology Centre in Surrey, England, and you could tell he really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes visit.

It was an honor to host the first official F1 Meet Up at SXSW this year. SXSW chooses current issues and topics that are relevant to conference goers and offers a casual networking meet up to foster the conversations. This is another example of how Austin embraces innovation & pop culture on a global scale, particularly during this time in March. The Hilton Hotel & Conference center was the venue, and kudos to them for providing a class act conference setting for not only our F1 Meet Up, but hundreds of official panels, keynotes, presentations and more. It was exciting to meet F1 fans & newbies from Turkey, Spain, the UK, Australia, San Francisco and more. Excitement filled the room as ideas & business cards were exchanged! Thank you to everyone for coming out.

It was also a pleasure to join Social Media Club again this year at SXSW. We spoke with Caitlin Muir, who knows a thing or two about Formula 1 (BTW, 3 cheers for female F1 fans!). Enjoy this video:

Already looking forward to doing it all again in 2013!