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Here's how Formula 1 disrupts the Las Vegas entertainment scene

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, drives during the first practice session for the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix auto race, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Las Vegas.
John Locher
/
AP
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, drives during the first practice session for the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix auto race, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Las Vegas.

Though locals mostly avoid it, the Las Vegas Strip and businesses that support it employ hundreds of thousands of people and it’s responsible for a big chunk of the state’s tax dollars.

Entertainment — concerts, shows, sports, the NFR, and more — is a key draw for visitors. Part of that is the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, which returns for its second year.

But that race also comes at a cost, and not just for tickets. Several Strip shows, indirectly or directly employing thousands, are going dark during the race or changing their schedules altogether.


Guest: John Katsilometes, entertainment columnist, Las Vegas Review-Journal

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Mike has been a producer for State of Nevada since 2019. He produces — and occasionally hosts — segments covering entertainment, gaming & tourism, sports, health, Nevada’s marijuana industry, and other areas of Nevada life.