Liberty Media has shown off the finished Grand Prix Plaza mixed-use development at the F1 Las Vegas pit building just off The Strip, ahead of a public opening next month. Alongside a host of Las Vegas business executives, F1 and Liberty leaders this past Friday night gave a first look at the new attractions at the building that also serves as the paddock area during the annual race weekend in November.
F1 has transformed parts of the building into the plaza attraction, which will include F1 Drive go-karting, an interactive experience called F1 X, a café and a merchandise store. Among those at Friday’s event were Liberty CEO Derek Chang, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, F1 CCO and F1 Las Vegas President & CEO Emily Prazer, and execs from the LVCVA, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts, The Venetian Resorts and Fontainebleau. Guests toured the venue and participated in the first karting race. Singer and performer Wayne Newton waved a checkered flag on the final lap.
On the @Vegas social media account, which is run by the LVCVA, a narrated video showed off aspects of the venue such as how karters wait for starting lights before the race begins, just like in real F1 races, and how the go-karts have a drag-reduction system, which is an aerodynamic feature of real F1 cars…