Las Vegas Grand Prix settles lawsuit, issues with trio of small businesses

Las Vegas Grand Prix said it has reached a settlement with three businesses who claimed they suffered financial losses due to the annual Formula One race in Southern Nevada.

Race officials said Tuesday that they have resolved their issues with the just off-Strip Battista’s Hole in the Wall restaurant and Stage Door Casino, who share the same owners, and Jay’s Market convenience store.

A lawsuit filed in September 2024 by the owners of Battista’s and Stage Door was partially dismissed last week, according to court documents filed Friday in District Court. The ruling means a similar claim by the two businesses can’t be brought to court again against race officials.

The pair of businesses were seeking damages in excess of $50,000 after the owners said they lost millions due to the race and the months of road work that led up to the inaugural 2023 race.

A Las Vegas Grand Prix spokesperson confirmed Tuesday night that they had “resolved their differences” with the two businesses and with Jay’s Market, which had claimed similar financial losses but never filed a lawsuit against F1.

All three businesses are located off Flamingo Road near Linq and Koval lanes and a section of the 3.8-mile grand prix street circuit that includes portions of Las Vegas Boulevard, Koval Lane and Harmon and Sands avenues. A temporary Flamingo bridge built for the 2023 race and rebuilt as a smaller version for the 2024 race was in front of the three businesses.

The dismissal was noted as partial, as RDG LV LLC, which is listed as the landlord of Battista’s and Stage Door in court documents, is also a plaintiff in the case and still pursuing damages. In an amended suit filed in October 2024, RDG alleged it had been “severely damaged due to the impact of F1 (past and future) on the value of its property,” where Battista’s and Stage Door are located.

The partial dismissal of the lawsuit filed by Battista’s and Stage Door came a week before the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved a two-year extension of the race. The initial three-year deal expires after November’s race, and the LVCVA board approved a $20 million sponsorship to keep the race through at least 2027.

Lisa Mayo-DeRiso, spokesperson for the businesses, declined to comment Tuesday night on the settlement. Attorneys representing the businesses and RDG did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment.

In February, a court partly dismissed a class-action lawsuit stemming from an on-track incident involving a water valve that came lose on the track during the inaugural 2023 race, leading to spectators being sent home before the conclusion of the first practice session.

Earlier this year, race officials announced they had also settled their differences with Ellis Island casino and entered into a partnership with the off-Strip property to host a spectator zone for the race, as they did in 2023. A lawsuit previously filed by Ellis Island against the race was dismissed ahead of the partnership.

In May, a partnership with a 7-Eleven store that is within the race’s footprint, just north of Grand Prix Plaza on Koval, was also announced. The store will feature a screen on their property during race weekend, broadcasting a live feed of the action.

“We’re very pleased with the progress we have made engaging with our community,” a race spokesperson said Tuesday.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.