Long Beach City Council approves three-year contract extension for GP

Hands down, Long Beach is the best event on the IndyCar schedule. The Indy 500 is bigger, but fans have more fun at Long Beach.

IndyCars will continue to zoom along Shoreline Drive each spring until at least 2018.

The City Council voted 8-0 Tuesday to approve a three-year contract extension for the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, which runs the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The race could remain in the city through 2020, with two one-year renewal options included in the deal.

This year’s Long Beach Grand Prix, the 40th annual running, was held April 11-13. The race, which featured a standing start and several lead changes in the last laps, was won by British driver Mike Conway.

Organizers reported about 180,000 attendees over the three-day race weekend.

Mayor Bob Foster complimented Grand Prix Association President and CEO Jim Michaelian for the event before the council voted.

“This race is the best I’ve been to," Foster said. “You can tell people were having fun all three days."

Though the action has been welcomed by Michaelian and the Grand Prix Association, it gives the city flexibility to explore overtures from the FIA Formula One World Championship to host a race on the city’s streets.

Formula One’s interest in grabbing the contract has been long-rumored, but in February it was revealed that F1 owner Bernie Ecclestone had hired Chris Pook, who helped found the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1975, to find a venue so the sport could return to Southern California.

Formula One raced in Long Beach from 1976 to 1983 until high costs forced a switch to the Championship Auto Racing Teams series. CART’s successor, the Verizon IndyCar series, now races on the city’s streets each April.

Pook has said he has financial support to bring Formula One to Long Beach, which he contends would have greater economic benefits for the city.

Michaelian told the council that this year’s event experienced a 10-year high in attendance and boosted the area’s economy by $35 million.

The certainty of the longer contract will allow the association to renew sponsorships and make investments into the circuit, according to Michaelian.

After the meeting, he said he was confident that the Grand Prix Association would remain the operator of choice.

“We’re delighted," Michaelian said. “I think it really reflects on the unique past and relationship we have with the city. We look forward to continuing to expand on it." Long Beach Press Telegram