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Ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, controversy is developing over whether nearby restaurants and clubs should pay fees for their view of the race – according to the New York Post.
The event will run through the entirety of the Las Vegas Strip in a 3.8-mile circuit, but organisers are said to be displeased with the amount of entertainment venues that may get a free sighting of the event.
To prevent this, F1 is said to be collecting fees and arranging plans for barricades to block the view of the event for those who have not paid to be there.
If the surrounding clubs and restaurants wish to not be barricaded from the event, they are to pay $1,500 per head for licensing rights.
If clubs and restaurants refuse to pay this fee, sales representatives for F1 have warned that obstructions such as barricades, stands and light stanchions could end up ruining the race for their customers.
Sources claim that salespeople working for Renee Wilm, the Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO, have even threatened that lights will be shined toward the viewing areas of unlicensed venues, blinding guests trying to get a peek at the evening race.
The event will last three days and is expected to have over 300,000 F1 fans in attendance. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will run from 16-18 November and the average ticket price for the three-day package is over $6,000.
Hotels like the Venetian and Wynn are already paying between $2m and $10m each in fees.
Most of the racecourse will be built in the two weeks leading up to the race, giving F1 the chance to block views at the last minute.
