Saturday, March 5, 2011

Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Great For the Las Vegas Economy

Besides watching a boring race until the last lap today, I also realized how much money the speedway brings to the Las Vegas economy.
For instance, a gentleman from the South Point Hotel and Casino was asking people where they were from and tabulating the results.
People came from 49 states (Maryland was the only state not at the racetrack today) and 22 countries, including Canada, Jamaica and Australia. Wisconsin was the 3rd most represented state except for California and Nevada, of course, according to this gentleman's informal survey.
Then you had all the employees that is hired by the speedway and it's contractors. Everywhere from parking lot attendants, crossing guards, ticket takers, elevator operators, cleaning crews security guards, tram drivers, EMTs, rescue crews, and so many more jobs.
Of course, you also had the people selling the tickets, working in the gift shop in addition to the front office people and ultimately, the top administration.
Then include the people who volunteer to work in the food booths for their charitable organizations- they bring in a lot of money for the speedway and their charity. (for the best food in a food booth, go to the food booth that is in the farthest south part of the speedway, by Gate A. BBQ sandwich, footlong hot dogs, Philly cheese steak etc- good food)
The speedway also pays for the extra police officers, probably about 100, Medic West paramedics and even a small crew of City of Las Vegas fire fighters. (what they were doing, I have no idea, but they were traveling in a Gator but no firefighting equipment and one was wearing alligator looking type shoes- not exactly fire fighting shoes)
Then NASCAR employs all of their people. Besides the drivers and their crews, most bring in trailers of souvenirs which employee people full time and travel the NASCAR circuit, Speed Channel, different displays including Sprint and the car companies and all the different sponsors.
I am sure I am missing something, but it is clear that NASCAR brings in and spends a lot of money in the Las Vegas Valley. They also pay a significant amount of taxes to the state and local governments and also give money to different charities in and around the Valley.
So, thanks, LVMS, for providing so many opportunities for people to spend money, make money, and to donate money.

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