With huge events taking place in Las Vegas in the next few months, Sin City will soon become an even bigger tourist attraction. Vegas will host its first-ever F1 Grand Prix, followed by the Super Bowl LVIII, where Usher will headline the halftime show. The Las Vegas GP will not only add to the charm of the city, but it will also add to the ‘Americanization’ of F1, which has been one of Liberty Media Group’s top goals. Amid the preparations for these mega-events, the ground reality is full of problems, with The Street reporting the Las Vegas Culinary Union could call for a strike.
The much-anticipated events will give way for Las Vegas to become one of the most desired locations to be in anywhere in the world in November and February. January would also spotlight the city as the Consumer Electronics Show will take place then. As such, the three months stand as some of the most important months in the history of the city in terms of the crowd that will set foot on its soil. However, it could all go horribly wrong if there is no peace between the Union and the major players on ‘The Strip.’
First-ever Las Vegas GP could shut down before it even happens
The Las Vegas Culinary Union is made up of over 53,000 members who do everything from jobs like Waiters and bartenders to working behind the scenes as cleaners. A majority of these members work for the biggest names on ‘The Strip’ such as MGM Resorts, Caesars, and Wynn Resorts. As such, they are the ones responsible for keeping the properties running. Of late, the Union has been in negotiation with the ‘Big Three’ and has gone through multiple rounds of discussions with no viable outcome.
The Street reports that the demands are big- they want new five-year contracts- a deal which would pave the way for smaller properties to do the same.
They also want the “largest wage increase ever negotiated in the history of the Culinary Union.” Furthermore, the ask is for a reduced workload and increased safety precautions for the workers. Should the demands not be met, 95% of the workers have voted in favor of a city-wide strike.
The strike would mean dire consequences for the Big Three and the Vegas GP. With no workers available on deck, managing such a big event would be impossible. As such, it could lead to the cancelation of the first-ever Las Vegas GP before it even happens, and, subsequently, the forthcoming events in the first two months of 2024, should the matter not be resolved by then.
F1 going through a lot to make the LV GP a reality
The inaugural Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix is competing against time to achieve the most aggressive programs of construction and design. Civil planning and engineering costs soar up to $560 million in costs before the track becomes race-ready. As the authorities throw money to get the track and all the other elements ready for the event, the Culinary Union is not their only problem at hand.
Given the 3.8-mile circuit will be a street track, many hotels, restaurants, and clubs have become hot spots for the authorities. The league is demanding millions of dollars from each of these venues for licensing rights and is threatening to block the views if they fail to cooperate.
Demanding $1,500 per person as a licensing fee, a venue with 1,500 seats would have to pay up to $2.25 million to enjoy an unobstructed view of the race from the comfort of their roof decks, terraces, and dining areas. Despite facing major backlash for the action, the authorities are firm on their decision and will not settle for anything else.
