LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Formula 1 brings high-speed excitement and significant economic impact to Southern Nevada, but for tourists walking the Las Vegas Strip, ongoing race preparations are proving to be either a marquee attraction or an unexpected obstruction.
Crews have been busy constructing massive viewing decks directly in front of the Bellagio Fountains, altering the vantage point of one of the Strip’s most recognizable landmarks. FOX5 spoke with several visitors to gauge how the construction is impacting their vacations.
For some, the disruption runs counter to what they had planned.
“One of our favorite things to do is like sit down here and watch the fountain, so it’s a little disappointing we can’t walk down there and like watch it from that vantage point,” said Michaela Tirey, visiting from Texas alongside Grayson Tirey. “I knew the race was going on, but I didn’t realize it was going to all be blocked off, and so whenever we came back here from the Cosmo we were like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”
Others echoed similar frustrations about impeded sightlines along the central corridor.
“You can’t see half the stuff that’s going on here,” said Lucky Kioussis, a visitor from Canada. “It’s nice. I enjoy my time here, but yeah, I think there’s still more to see.”
Yet not every traveler sees the heavy construction as a drawback. For Seamus Keane, visiting from Ireland, the flurry of activity fits naturally into the city’s reputation for nonstop action.
“There’s a lot of things going on, but that’s what you’d associate Las Vegas with,” Keane said. “Las Vegas is a town of vibrancy and a town of energy, so you want like a good bit going on. I think it just kind of blends into the ambiance and the aesthetics that one would expect of Las Vegas.”
As buildout continues ahead of the race, visitors navigating the Strip will continue to contend with sidewalk diversions, temporary structures, and modified views around iconic attractions.
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