Las Vegas, a city known for its vibrant entertainment and tourism, has been grappling with the aftermath of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. More than two weeks have passed since the event, yet business owners in the Flamingo and Koval area continue to face financial hardships. Randy Markin, the owner of Battista's Hole in the Wall and the COO of Stage Door Casino, vividly describes the situation. "It's tough because the town thinks F1 is over and they're gone and everything is back to normal, it's not," he says. This sentiment is echoed by Mimmo Ferraro, the chef and partner at Ferraro's Ristorante, who is just a mile away from Battista's. Ferraro shares that their restaurant lost $2.5 million in expected revenue last year due to the Grand Prix and is still being impacted this year, making it difficult to quantify the losses.

The Persistent Traffic Impact

Markin emphasizes that their businesses rely heavily on local customers, but the lasting traffic impacts of the F1 race have led to locals avoiding the area altogether. "No locals have been coming to us for many months," he explains. "Nobody will drive to this area." One of the remnants of the race is the temporary vehicular bridge on Flamingo and Koval. Although the bridge remains up, it is scheduled to be dismantled starting Dec. 9. According to a press release from F1, the Flamingo and Koval intersection will be closed in all directions for six days. This, Markin believes, will only make the problem worse. "Think about it, if you're out traveling, you're going to say 'oh I'm not going to that area, we can't get there,'" he adds.

The Staff Training Dilemma

Ferraro is not the only one bracing for next week's impact. His restaurant has trained their staff on how to direct guests around closures when taking reservations. "If people have to be inconvenienced, they just stay where they are," he says. This shows the proactive measures these businesses are taking to deal with the ongoing issues.

The Legal Battle

Both Ferraro's Ristorante and Battista's Hole in the Wall are part of a handful of businesses that have sued F1. Due to the ongoing litigation, an F1 spokesperson states that they cannot make any comment on their concerns. This legal battle further complicates the situation for these local businesses, adding an extra layer of uncertainty to their recovery.