Circuit of the Americas- Austin, TX
I was trying to come up with a theme for March and all I could think of was "March Madness". While I haven't been to a basketball game in awhile, I have been to other sports venues where one could hold some fun meetings and events.
In the past, I've hosted events where a meeting would take place for an hour, followed by tickets to a game or access to a suite furnished with food and beverages. For most arenas and stadiums, a suite rental is a standard and easy to access (assuming it's available).
But what about other sports venues?
When I was in Austin, Texas, this past January 2017, I had the opportunity to tour Circuit of the Americas (also known as COTA) and do some go-kart racing. COTA is host to the United States Formula One Grand Prix and is located just outside of the Austin city limits.
The Media Center (otherwise known as the Event Center) is occupied entirely by journalists covering Formula 1 during the month of October. But otherwise, it is available for rent. The room pictured above is one of two sections of the center. The room is equipped with projector and screen, and furniture is also available for rent. To see what these rooms can transform to, click here. Below are photos of the pre-function area of the Media Center.
On the COTA tour, we got to stop by the "Command Center". In this room, COTA keeps track of what's happens on the track. If any issues come up, they contact ground support to call attention to the issues. Of course, I couldn't help but participate when it comes to calling some shots!
One of my favorite activities is go-karting but on this day I was particularly happy. One of the sponsors rented the COTA track, but no longer needed it for the rest of the day. Instead of going to an offsite track, the COTA staff decided to let us go-kart on a portion of the track. It was the first time they were doing this, and our group was thrilled! We were the first people to ride go-karts on the Formula 1 race track! And let me tell you, with some of these hairpin turns, it was pretty challenging and at the same time very exhilarating!
Another venue available on the COTA grounds is The Tower which is about 255 feet high. It's basically a platform with a partial glass floor that is accessible by elevator (there are also stairs) and has views of the COTA grounds as well as Austin. While it can accommodate 70 guests, I think 30-40 people would fit comfortably up there.
Even though I think think it would be cool to hold an event at The Tower, I don't think it is logistically ideal. I took a video from above and I can see where people might have challenges with height or if it was a windy day (like it was in my video!). Still, the view from above is pretty impressive.
Aside from the Media Center and The Tower, there are other venues available including the Austin360 Amphitheater and the Pit and Paddock Building (Velocity Lounge and Suites and the Paddock Lofts are available for rent). Unfortunately we were unable to see them during the tour - because we were go-kart racing! Despite my difficulty with the tight turns, I came in second place!
Overall I really enjoyed COTA and this could be the perfect spot for the right group. The venue is capable of holding corporate events and meetings, as well as social events. And I would love to see a competitive team-building activity that involves go-karting!
For more information about Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, visit: http://www.circuitoftheamericas.com .
~T~
