F1 Is Allegedly Shaking Down Las Vegas Restaurants For Race View Access

Photo: Dan Istitene – Formula 1 (Getty Images)

The Formula 1 World Championship is set to have a visually stunning night race in Las Vegas under floodlights and the colorful glow of casinos on the Strip this November. However, if you’re physically standing alongside the Las Vegas Strip, your view of the race could be obstructed. The championship’s commercial arm is flexing its muscle to force clubs and restaurants to pay eye-watering license fees for a view of the race.

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The New York Post reports Liberty Media, F1’s commercial rights holders, is threatening to block trackside venues’ view of the race circuit unless they pay a fee. The license fee is reportedly $1,500 multiplied by the venues’ total capacity under the fire code. A restaurant on the Strip able to host 1,000 patrons could have to pay a license fee of $1.5 million for even a little peep at the circuit.

The areas would be blocked by advertising signage or stanchions for the track lighting. Reportedly, representatives working for Renee Wilm, the Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO and Liberty Media’s chief legal officer, have even said that floodlight could be aimed at unlicensed areas to blind onlookers. A casino owner told the Post, “They are literally shaking people down saying they will obstruct views unless they pay them. It seems insane that they are asking money for a public event that is taking place in the streets.”

While Formula 1’s actions aren’t illegal, the financial burden would undoubtedly be passed from the clubs and restaurants to guests who didn’t buy an astronomically-priced race ticket and wanted to be near the event. Notably, the casinos already paying millions to officially sponsor the Las Vegas Grand Prix, like the Venetian and Wynn, aren’t obligated to pay the license fee.