INSIDE COTA'S TURN 1 CLUBHOUSE AND ITS PLANS TO BUILD A SECOND TRACK

COTA's new Turn 1 clubhouse isn't just a construction project — it's a condition of survival. F1 made the hospitality upgrade a contract requirement when Austin reupped through 2034, part of a series-wide push to match the sport's Netflix-era demographics. The multi-story structure opens January 2 as "The Circuit," a private members club capped at 300 spots. Initiation is a one-time fee for lifetime access; annual dues cover operations. Already 600-plus inquiries, and that was before race weekend lit it up on broadcast.

The trade-off: COTA goes private, killing public track days and bumping regional car clubs. Solution is a second circuit on adjacent land, FIA Grade 3, purpose-built for the grassroots crowd F1 pricing has priced out. Design is locked but not public; Mullins wants a banked corner and a signature chicane, features the Grand Prix layout lacks. Timeline is vague but urgent — they don't want the Texas club scene stranded long.