City Council Agenda Item Report
December 18, 2012
Contact – Alisha Burrow, MBA, CTE
[email protected]
SUBJECT:
Presentation regarding a post-event report on the Buda Fan Jam
held November 15, 2012 and the inaugural United States Grand Prix
Formula 1 race held November 16-18, 2012.
1. BACKGROUND/HISTORY
In preparation for the inaugural United States Grand Prix Formula 1 race held at
the Circuit of the Americas track in Austin November 16-18, the Buda City
Council approved the Department of Tourism to host a free concert for expecting
visitors to the City of Buda.
The Austin Grand Prix race thrilled participants at the Circuit of the Americas™,
the only purpose-built grand prix track and entertainment facility in the U.S. The
race track is situated on 1,000 acres in Southeast Austin.
The expected economic impact for this race event was:
Visitor Stats
Total estimated attendees
120,000
International Visitors
40%
Outside of Texas
53%
Expected Countries Represented
United States
Mexico
Argentina
Venezuela
Brazil
Canada
Several European countries represented
Economic Impact
Expect $400-$500 million
annually
300,000 jobs
Media Impact
30 million viewers in 180
countries
Brand Impact
$200 million advertising value
2. FINDINGS/CURRENT ACTIVITY
Buda Fan Jam
The Buda Fan Jam was a free concert featuring The Fabulous Thunderbirds
held Thursday, November 16 from 6:00 – 11:00 PM at Buda City Park. The
musical event lineup also included the Jimi Berd Band, Dara Niemi, and Charlie
Hurtin & the Hecklers. The event was also organized with the assistance of
Roadway Productions who provided event production setup (stage
equipment/fencing, etc..), booking bands, food & beverage vendors, and other
concert-related needs. The attendance for the Buda Fan Jam was approximately
500.
Shuttle Service
The Department of Tourism offered shuttle service to guests staying in Buda
hotels and those looking for shuttle service.
Two buses were provided by Hays CISD, which held 40 passengers.
The Department of Tourism sold shuttle service seats for $25.00 per person, per
day. Some guests who utilized our services were from US states: California,
Washington, Oregon, Kentucky, Colorado, and Texas. Countries represented
include: Australia, Sweden, Ireland, and Italy.
Travel/Tradeshow Exhibit
November 16 -18, 2012
The Department of Tourism received the opportunity from Circuit of the Americas
to exhibit and promoted the City of Buda during the Formula 1 race.
This was a no-cost opportunity to highlight our community and generate interest
for race fans that would come back to Austin in 2013 and also an opportunity for
the Department to distribute race promotional items with our website information.
Tradeshow Results
Friday, November 16
Saturday, November 17
Sunday, November 18
500 visits
1,500 visits
2,500 visits
Only seven destinations/organizations exhibited and included:
City of Buda; TXDOT; State of Texas: Office of the Governor; New Braunfels;
Fredericksburg; Bandera; and Seguin.
The tradeshow allowed staff the unique opportunity to interact with race fans,
promote Buda hotels, events and inform visitors that the City of Buda is only 15
minutes away from the Circuit of the Americas track.
City of Buda staff and Buda City Council members assisted at our booth and
also interacted with visitors, many who were surprised how close the City of
Buda was from the track and that they planned on booking their next stay in
Buda. The Department of Tourism was also able to refer visitors to our area
hotels due to some race fans not satisfied at their current hotel.
Media coverage was well represented during race weekend, and the City of
Buda was among those at the track to receive coverage from various media
outlets including the Austin Business Journal.
Overall Formula 1 Economic Impact
In an article by the Austin-American Statesman, Formula 1 was a huge success.
Over 117,000 fans watched Lewis Hamilton (UK) drive to victory.
According to an economic study from Circuit of the Americas, the economic
impact to the Austin area is estimated to be $483 million.
Direct expenditure costs are estimated at $293 million. The race is supposed to
generate $26.4 million in new tax revenue for the state and $6.1 million for the
city of Austin. This economic impact does not include taxes for other local
entities.
3. FINANCIAL IMPACT
Buda Fan Jam
Vendors
Beer
VIP
Total
$3,265.35
- $ 141.66
$ 416.71
$3,540.40
Total Concert Cost
Total Advertising Costs
Total Cost
Total Minus Income
Final Costs
$30,720.79
$10,472.00
$41,192.49
$ 3,540.40
$37,652.09
Formula 1
Expenses
Advertising Costs
Total Costs
Total Minus Income
Final Costs
$ 7,455.00
$ 4,988.06
$12,443.06
$ 3,225.90
$ 9,217.16
4. ACTION OPTIONS/RECOMMENDATION
N/A