Are you a resident of Las Vegas? Do you work in the city? Hell, are you a tourist who showed up to Vegas and found the place overtaken by construction and motorsport branding? Let’s talk. I want to know more about how you’re dealing with preparations for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
While I do consider myself a motorsport journalist, my priority lies less with supporting all racing activities no matter what, and more with understanding the impact these events can have on local communities. I’ve covered in depth how Formula 1 has routinely failed to understand the American audience — both in terms of staging a race that motorsport fans want to attend as well as in terms of the event’s impact on local communities.
In Miami Gardens, for example, race organizers entirely ignored complaints about the event from local communities that have been protesting the staging of massive sporting events in their backyard. These communities have been routinely ignored for decades, and F1 proceeded to do the same thing.
So, if you’re in Las Vegas, I’d love to chat. Are you a cab driver who will have to figure out new routes around the city to bypass closed-off roads? Are you a hotel worker preparing to go on strike? Hell, are you tourist who planned a vacation in Vegas and arrived to find the city inaccessible? I want to talk to you.
I want to know what it’s like to live in the city right now. I want to know what it’s like to get to work. I want to know the conversations you’re having, the protests you’ve raised, the frustrations that have gone unanswered. I’m happy to talk on background, and I’m also happy to protect your identity to whatever extent you choose. I know for a fact that there are conversations going on in the city that F1 refuses to acknowledge, and I want to give them a platform.
If you’re interested in chatting, please reach out to me at eblackstock [at] jalopnik [dot] com.