LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Las Vegas Valley businesses announced a petition to “Stop the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.”
The petition was announced Monday. Organizers say the petition allows the community to weigh in on the pending 2024 Las Vegas race.
According to a media release, business owners near the F1 bridge built on Flamingo Koval for the inaugural race lost up to $30 million along with other road closures.
“To date, F1 has not held a public meeting or even sat in a room with all of us together who lost millions in 2023,” said Gino Ferraro, Owner of Ferraro’s Ristorante. “F1 is selling tickets and moving ahead as if these issues do not exist, as if we do not exist. My family restaurant has been here for 39-years, we matter.”
Organizers say the petition asks Clark County commissioners, who still have to approve the 2024 special use permit, to not approve that permit until issues from 2023 have been settled.
This would include a reimbursement of the losses incurred by local small business owners.
Read below the details of the petition as provided in a media release:
“We know many more people were negatively impacted by the F1 race in 2023,” added Randy Markin, Owner of Battista’s Restaurant and Stage Door Casino. “Uber drivers, casino employees, and other business owners up and down the Las Vegas Strip were negatively impacted. We firmly believe that we need public input on this event that proved to be devastating to my business and others.”
Madgy Amer, who lost all of his small businesses, including the restaurant Tex Mex Tequila on Las Vegas Boulevard added, “I do not want to see anyone else suffer like we did during the F1 race, and we ultimately could not take the revenue losses and had to close. F1 needs to be held accountable and the 2024 race will have the same result unless something is done to not impact the Las Vegas Strip; its employees, visitors and businesses.”
FOX5 has reported on the ongoing events between valley businesses and Formula 1.
The CEO of the Las Vegas race, Renee Wilm, said that F1 aims to be “less disruptive to residents.”
“Year one was tough in so many ways, and we want to create an incredible race and incredible fan experience, but also be a better member of this community,” she said. “Good communication. Good community engagement. And we’re really excited about what we have coming forward this year.”
To learn more, see the Change.org website. FOX5 has also reached out to Formula 1 for a statement regarding the petition.
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