The Facts on the Current Recessionary (?) Economy
U.S. real, i.e., inflation-adjusted, gross domestic product contracted by -0.9% in the second quarter on the heels of a -1.6% slide in the first...
It’s been over 12 years since the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) first opened near Austin and hosted the F1 United States Grand Prix race, marking the event’s return to the country after a four-year absence.
Other F1 Grand Prix events in the U.S. have joined the global race circuit.
However, COTA has since expanded beyond F1. Today, it hosts dozens of NASCAR and motorcycle races and music events. Attendance has grown each year. Over 430,000 attended the F1 Grand Prix in 2024, making up a large portion of the 1.5 million visitors who come each year.
COTA wants to get bigger still. An ambitious, multimillion-dollar expansion plan is underway that will create a new amusement park called COTA LAND. The new park will take up about 20 acres, plus parking, on the 1,500-acre property next to turns 19 and 20 at the new “National” course layout for NASCAR races. It will include some of the most exciting rides and roller-coasters in the U.S., as well as a two-story restaurant.
The Palindrome “Infinity” coaster will be one two COTA LAND rides that are the first-of-its-type in the U.S.A.. Image: QuirkyCoastercouple
Work began under Texas general contractor White Construction in January 2025. It is hoped that COTA LAND will be open, at least in part, in time for the 2025 F1 United States Grand Prix in October. Stacy Weiss, vice president of theme park marketing at COTA, told local media that “thousands” of new hires will be made over the coming months.
The park’s layout is intentionally compact. In addition to amusements, COTA LAND is considering including what Weiss described as botanical gardens with plants and trees that will provide shade from the Texas sun.
Although there are other amusement and theme park locations in Texas, COTA is uniquely positioned in central Texas, southeast of Austin. The park operators are looking beyond the immediate area and intend to attract Texans from all across the state.
Two of the 27 rides being installed at COTA LAND are the first of their kind in the country.
One is a “tilt coaster” called the Circuit Breaker, a design with track sections that cause riders in the front to tip down and those in the back to lift high. Those who have ridden a tilt coaster describe the experience as “insane.”
Visitors wanting even more excitement can try COTA LAND’s Palindrome, an infinity coaster manufactured by Gerstlauer Amusement Rides of Germany. Passengers will spin, go forward, backward, and invert.
“One of the things we’ve always tried to do with our race events makes it appealing to the race fan and their friends and family so that whether you’re already a fan of the racing or not, you still have a reason to come out and enjoy the day,” COTA chairman Bobby Epstein told local media. “COTA LAND just adds to the list of fun.”
For the faint of heart, the COTA facility offers several more sedate attractions as well. Germania Insurance Amphitheater can accommodate 14,000 open-air spectators, including reserved seating for 6,700, and has a spacious lawn viewing area.
The COTA RV Park allows visitors to park their campers overnight for events, shop at the COTA general store, and enjoy amenities such as a swimming pool, covered patio, children’s playground, and even a dog park.
For regular visitors with deeper pockets, COTA offers T-11 Car Condos, what the park describes as “a unique opportunity to house your vehicles at a world-class destination for motorsports and entertainment.”
At prices ranging from $500,000 to $2.3 million, enthusiasts can purchase units from 1,500 to 6,000 square feet and enjoy amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, outdoor lounge, grills, club room, conference rooms, showers, and an outdoor plaza, all supported by an on-site management office.
The total costs for COTA LAND and its other associated attractions aren’t clear. However, a series of $15 million filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation suggests approximately $105 million worth of developments. COTA has been attempting to raise $65 million for the construction of the amusement park itself.
Looking further into the future, COTA hopes to add a new mini-golf course and expand its current go-kart offerings. A water park, a 1,000-room hotel, and a 430,000-square-foot convention center are also in the initial planning stage, part of what Weiss described as a “decades-long pursuit.” Although no timelines have been set for this future construction, park owners are in discussions with the City of Austin concerning support through the city’s hotel occupancy tax.
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