All three Las Vegas airports will charge a $3,000 landing fee during F1 races

I suspect they cleverly called it an “event fee” rather than any kind of airport fee so that by the time anybody came up with anything that made it illegal the money would be long gone.
And that will get your FAA money stopped completely. The city of Dallas contemplated doing that with funds at Love Field. The lawyers told them in no uncertain terms....no
 
And that will get your FAA money stopped completely. The city of Dallas contemplated doing that with funds at Love Field. The lawyers told them in no uncertain terms....no
Well, there ya go…maybe this will shut down Las Vegas. :fcross:
 
The threat of getting FAA money stopped didn’t shut down Mayor Daley.
 

Las Vegas F1 construction costs raise to $400M, officials cite infrastructure needs from residents​

“A lot of (the increased costs were) driven by the request, and quite honestly requirements, of the local stakeholders, as we began this process of preparing the track for actual usage,” Wilm said during the call. “This has led to additional equipment that was needed, as well as additional, actual roadwork.”
Now, it’s a race to the finish line: Saturday, November 18.
Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei told investors that the tight deadline potentially raised the costs as well, and prevented them from capitalizing on other fan celebrations, sporting events, and music festivals near the weekend race.
“We moved with lightning speed, the F1 team, Renee’s team, to put this in place. And that’s probably led to increased costs. And it’s also meant there were opportunities we’ve had to not capitalize on,” Maffei said during the call.

This argument (if the county tried to make it) doesn't even make sense:

a. Liberty Media is a for-profit corporation and the "construction costs" you refer to are costs for which Liberty Media is responsible, not the county.

b. The costs you refer to have absolutely nothing to do with allowing a few GA planes to park in transient parking at a few of Las Vegas's small airports. There is no causal connection.

Government entities are not allowed to operate the same way that Ticketmaster and the Ritz Carlton do. They take public funds to function and therefore have public obligations.
 
This argument (if the county tried to make it) doesn't even make sense:

a. Liberty Media is a for-profit corporation and the "construction costs" you refer to are costs for which Liberty Media is responsible, not the county.

b. The costs you refer to have absolutely nothing to do with allowing a few GA planes to park in transient parking at a few of Las Vegas's small airports. There is no causal connection.

Government entities are not allowed to operate the same way that Ticketmaster and the Ritz Carlton do. They take public funds to function and therefore have public obligations.
Are you sure about that?

F1 seeks $40M from county for Las Vegas Grand Prix infrastructure work

"The infrastructure upgrades tied to preparing the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit are expected to cost $80 million, with race officials asking Clark County to contribute $40 million in public money"​


From earlier in this thread:

The three airports HND, LAS and VGT are all owned and operated by Clark County, Nevada.
 
I can't be reading that correctly. Las Vegas spent $400,000,000 to host this event?
 
I can't be reading that correctly. Las Vegas spent $400,000,000 to host this event?
With an estimated $400 million project estimate, Formula One President & CEO Stefano Domenicali told investors he still projects around $1.2 billion in revenue from the November race in its first year.

Formula 1 is spending it, and apparently doing some level of cost sharing with Vegas and Clark county.
 
Last edited:
Are you sure about that?

F1 seeks $40M from county for Las Vegas Grand Prix infrastructure work​

"The infrastructure upgrades tied to preparing the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit are expected to cost $80 million, with race officials asking Clark County to contribute $40 million in public money"​


From earlier in this thread:

The three airports HND, LAS and VGT are all owned and operated by Clark County, Nevada.
This makes the county’s stance weaker, not stronger. They choose to subsidize corporate ventures for profit, to make more money, and therefore GA pilots can be gouged by public institutions? Did the legislature approve these $3000 fees as may be required under the Nevada constitution? Did the elected county board of supervisors? I’m in a different state but these county/private shenanigans resulted in the state supreme court in my state eventually shutting the entire venture down given the use of public funds. However, a public interest firm (AOPA?) had to sue to get that result.
 
This is a first-time F1 Street Race in Las Vegas. It is a “Must-Attend-and-Be-Seen-At” for the chattering class. Cost will be no object or deterrent to many attending.

Long ago when we were planning for the First F1 at Indianapolis, an Indycar official described it like this.
The difference in money levels will astonish you.

Nascar- A bunch of guys at the factory say “Let’s go racing this weekend!” and pile into a borrowed 1978 Winnebago.

Indycar- A bunch of Stock Traders at the Chicago Board of Trade say “ Let’s go racing this weekend!” and pile into a rented RV Bus.

Formula1 - The Prince of Brunei says “Let’s go racing this weekend!, and charters two 747’s to bring in 600 of his closest friends.
I know who goes to the event. I fly the planes to Miami, Monaco, Spa, Austin. I've seen it and lived it.
 
Even backwoods college town airports like MGW charge higher fees on football game days. This is no different, just on steroids because of supply and demand.
 
Even backwoods college town airports like MGW charge higher fees on football game days. This is no different, just on steroids because of supply and demand.
This is completely different. This is about the county usurping the authority of the FAA. No one has an issue with private FBOs charging more on busy weekends. This is a local government's money grab that has serious implications on GA's future access to publicly-funded airports.
 
Seriously, is AOPA “on top” of this? This is precisely why some of us are members.
 
Even backwoods college town airports like MGW charge higher fees on football game days. This is no different, just on steroids because of supply and demand.
Letting a friend, co-worker or family member use my empty, paid tie down or hangar without accessing FBO services automatically generates $3K for the county.

So they can reimburse a private entity for non-airport related “infrastructure upgrades.”

Even if they did not fly in or out on an F1 day or attend an F1 event.

This is not supply nor demand related.

Those cases were specifically included in the communication.

And could just as easily have been excluded.
 
This video talks about the insanity of F1 in Las Vegas
 
I don't like this, or any other price-gouging practices any more than anyone else. But, consideer, the average Gulfstream passenger coming from Monaco for the F1 race doesn't even sneeze at $3000, their suite at the hotel costs more than that per night. And, just like being upset about high-paid sports players or expensive NFL tickets, there's an answer: Just don't go, or quit watching.
 
I don't like this, or any other price-gouging practices any more than anyone else. But, consideer, the average Gulfstream passenger coming from Monaco for the F1 race doesn't even sneeze at $3000, their suite at the hotel costs more than that per night. And, just like being upset about high-paid sports players or expensive NFL tickets, there's an answer: Just don't go, or quit watching.
I’m not concerned about people attending the F1 race, just the “inaccessibility” of the Las Vegas area for those dates for mere mortals flying something other than Gulfstreams.
 
I’m not concerned about people attending the F1 race, just the “inaccessibility” of the Las Vegas area for those dates for mere mortals flying something other than Gulfstreams.
If you’re not there for the F1 race, you really don’t want to be there. I was just there for NBAA. With everything torn up and blocked off, it’s a mess.
 
I’m not concerned about people attending the F1 race, just the “inaccessibility” of the Las Vegas area for those dates for mere mortals flying something other than Gulfstreams.

Bring enough dough and it’s plenty accessible. Surge pricing a la Uber.
 
Bring enough dough and it’s plenty accessible. Surge pricing a la Uber.

Surge pricing by publicly funded elements of our transportation infrastructure to pay expenses for private enterprises sticks in my craw. What would it cost to just require reservations to park and stay and stop taking them when parking areas are full?
 
I’m not concerned about people attending the F1 race, just the “inaccessibility” of the Las Vegas area for those dates for mere mortals flying something other than Gulfstreams.

I agree, the policy is a crock. (and, after re-reading my post, apologies, I did not intend to come across as snippy or elitist in any way).
Surge pricing by publicly funded elements of our transportation infrastructure to pay expenses for private enterprises sticks in my craw. What would it cost to just require reservations to park and stay and stop taking them when parking areas are full?
Totally agree!
 
Surge pricing by publicly funded elements of our transportation infrastructure to pay expenses for private enterprises sticks in my craw. What would it cost to just require reservations to park and stay and stop taking them when parking areas are full?

How is Signature,Atlantic, and Air Elite publicly funded? All three require PPR and I’d expect those slots have been gone for a while now.

Notably, you can land, refuel, and takeoff apparently fee-free without de-planing.
 
While I think it’s cool to see F1 racing in Vegas, however, there are huge impacts. I fly both professionally and for personal travel, so I don’t feel bad for a pilot that failed to plan around a special event. I’ve been dealing with them for years, Superbowls, National Title games, the Master’s, the Kentucky Derby, and a bunch of others.

I do feel bad for the couple that saved up their money because they always wanted to go to Las Vegas, and they get there to find that the palm trees at the Bellagio have been cut down, the fountain drained, and a huge grand stand has been erected in its place, but the airline and the hotel they booked made no mention of this.

And this isn’t a one-off event, they signed a ten year contract.
 
I’m not concerned about people attending the F1 race, just the “inaccessibility” of the Las Vegas area for those dates for mere mortals flying something other than Gulfstreams.
What makes you think Las Vegas wants mere mortals there for those dates?
 
How is Signature,Atlantic, and Air Elite publicly funded? All three require PPR and I’d expect those slots have been gone for a while now.

Notably, you can land, refuel, and takeoff apparently fee-free without de-planing.

The fee isn't being collected by the Clark County Department of Aviation, but rather by the FBO's who will retain it rather than remit it to the county?
 
And this isn’t a one-off event, they signed a ten year contract.
It would be nice if Formula 1 would disappear off the face of the earth. It outlived its usefulness 40 years ago and has since become a completely decadent circus in which the event is managed as a profit and retail publicity tool, with racing and competition being viewed as unfortunate necessities that should be firmly controlled.
 
Last edited:
The fee isn't being collected by the Clark County Department of Aviation, but rather by the FBO's who will retain it rather than remit it to the county?

Given each if the three FBOs is charging a different fee, I don’t expect Clark County is mandating it.

Both FBOs at Harry Reid—Atlantic and Signature—are already at capacity and are not issuing any more PPRs. According to a customer service representative at Signature, during the race, there’s a one-time fee of $7,700 plus additional charges for overnight parking and handling. Depending on type of aircraft, those can run up to $994 for overnight parking and $2,290 for handling. The fee at Atlantic is comparatively cheap at $3,500.

A customer service representative at Air Elite, based at Henderson Executive Airport, said that its fee would be $3,000 plus overnight parking and landing, depending on type of aircraft. The airport’s parking is divided into three zones—one for parking, one for quick turnaround, and one for NetJets.

 
Given each if the three FBOs is charging a different fee, I don’t expect Clark County is mandating it.



Given a fee is owed to the airport even if a transient plane never uses FBO services, or even relocates during the event, but is parked at a private hangar during F1 lends me to believe the FBOs are collecting it for the county.


There would be a battle for some folks if an FBO tried to collect a fee for a plane parked in their personal hangar during an “event”.


img_9127-jpeg.121932
 
Seriously, is AOPA “on top” of this? This is precisely why some of us are members.
Contact them and find out. If no one tells them about it, they’re not likely to know. And then this is just a few days old. It’s not like they have an strike team of lawyers set to scramble and get emergency injunctions.
 
How is Signature,Atlantic, and Air Elite publicly funded? All three require PPR and I’d expect those slots have been gone for a while now.

Notably, you can land, refuel, and takeoff apparently fee-free without de-planing.

Don’t think so.

IMG_0469.jpeg
 
AOPA’s on it. Posted a news item informing us there is a fee.

Also of note is the $3K fee is relatively cheap. $ignature is charging in the $10,000 range for some aircraft.



Both FBOs at Harry Reid—Atlantic and Signature—are already at capacity and are not issuing any more PPRs. According to a customer service representative at Signature, during the race, there’s a one-time fee of $7,700 plus additional charges for overnight parking and handling. Depending on type of aircraft, those can run up to $994 for overnight parking and $2,290 for handling. The fee at Atlantic is comparatively cheap at $3,500.
 
AOPA is not “on it” if they fail to distinguish between FBO fees to use optional commercial services and exorbitant fees being charged all landing traffic to use a Federally funded and regulated public-use airport facility.
 
Probably get double Atlantic bucks though…
 
I don't like this, or any other price-gouging practices any more than anyone else. But, consideer, the average Gulfstream passenger coming from Monaco for the F1 race doesn't even sneeze at $3000, their suite at the hotel costs more than that per night. And, just like being upset about high-paid sports players or expensive NFL tickets, there's an answer: Just don't go, or quit watching.
The issue isn’t the 3k for Gulfstream’s. It’s for the 3k for a 1962 C150. Ridiculous. BTW - I have a GS G280 and I can promise you it’s not going to be dropping in over F1.
 
AOPA’s on it. Posted a news item informing us there is a fee.

Also of note is the $3K fee is relatively cheap. $ignature is charging in the $10,000 range for some aircraft.



Both FBOs at Harry Reid—Atlantic and Signature—are already at capacity and are not issuing any more PPRs. According to a customer service representative at Signature, during the race, there’s a one-time fee of $7,700 plus additional charges for overnight parking and handling. Depending on type of aircraft, those can run up to $994 for overnight parking and $2,290 for handling. The fee at Atlantic is comparatively cheap at $3,500.
Yeah - no real problem here - these are private companies. KHND‘s FBO is run for the County. No excuse for a 3k fee.
 
AOPA: “FAA rules clearly state that public-use airports that receive federal funding are not permitted to charge unfair and unreasonable fees.”

 
Back
Top