Photos by Brian Addison
“It’s a city within a city.”
That’s how Chris Esslinger, the Director of Communications for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, describes the two-month process of physically turning the shoreline of downtown into a speedway and entertainment complex.
The entire endeavor is taken on under the auspices of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach; that means, outside of the small agreement they have with local labor unions, there is no City involvement, no third-party contractors, and no other organizations involved in the construction of the nearly two-mile circuit that winds through city streets.
The 200-member association is solely responsible for the event’s layout, promotion and execution and the reason they keep the relatively same annual team is simple: they don’t just do the Grand Prix, a common misconception and one that answers the question of just what the organization does when it’s not Grand Prix season.
“There are venues throughout Southern California, some even in Northern California, that we provide services for,” explained Esslinger. “We do all the external seating for the Academy Awards as well as the bridge that goes over Hollywood Boulevard. We also do the Emmy Awards, the X Games when they’re in L.A. and motor racing events. Last year, our bridge was used at Candlestick Park in San Francisco as a passageway for spectators.”
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This utilization of the assets they own–seats, bridges, concrete barriers, fencing, suites–not only provides year-round jobs for the small crew that makes Long Beach’s largest event happen, but also provides the organization with additional monies and exposure.
It also prepares them for the next year’s Grand Prix, which Esslinger admits is slightly different every year because they are building a racing circuit around residences. This prompts multiple meetings with downtown stakeholders and other event planners to ensure that the Grand Prix “remains cognizant that we are building a giant complex in the middle of a dynamic community.”
{loadposition latestlife}That dynamic community includes the residences of seven grandfathered buildings–the Blackstone, the Sovereign, the Breakers, the Cooper Arms, the International Tower, the Long Beach Towers and the Villa Riviera–that have the option every year to take a free trip, on the organization’s dime, out of town to escape the noise and hustle.
“We take about 70 people a year, mostly seniors, out of town,” explained Gemma Bannon, Human Resources Manager of the Grand Prix Association. “They get a free ride and a $10 lunch stipend… We’ve been doing it since the early ’80s and we plan on continuing to do so to cater to the residents who aren’t big Grand Prix fans.”
Even beyond the residents that might not be too keen on the noise, the Grand Prix also has to work with other events. The recent TED conference asked the organization to hold off their construction in order to permit TED’s use of Seaside Way. The fishing show recently held at the Convention Center prevented them from constructing stands in the parking lot. On top of it all, they have to put–at least until actual race day–as little barricades as possible near restaurants and the Aquarium to make sure access is possible.
“That’s the part of what creating an event like this is all about,” said Esslinger. “It’s about creating an atmosphere that everyone wants to come to.”
The 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will be held April 19-21.
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