The Las Vegas Grand Prix headquarters on Koval Lane and Harmon Avenue has been operational for the past year without a permanent business license. Tuesday morning, the Clark County Commission started the process to change that.

“We need to get to a place where the licensing is something that is fixed and in place, as opposed to having to deal with it on an ad hoc basis each time something comes forward,” Commissioner Jim Gibson said at Tuesday’s commission meeting.

“I think it isn’t just me, but I and others felt that we needed to get something done about this facility and potentially others that are similarin nature.”

Due to the variety of events hosted at Grand Prix Plaza, the space has become too broad to squeeze into one licensing category, said Vince Queano, director of the county’s business license department.

Gibson requested the agenda item to discuss strategies for creating a business license that encompasses all the activities hosted within the Grand Prix Plaza — formerly referred to as the paddock building. The inaugural Formula One race was in November.

Gibson said the facility “really will continue to be a valuable asset in Las Vegas,” but no language in the county code covers the building. It is available to rent for special events such as receptions or meetings.

Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said she had heard about plans to eventually host nightclubs, concerts, luncheons and fundraising events at the plaza. There were even talks of weddings and Formula One experiences at the building, Kirkpatrick said.

Kirkpatrick said she was worried about allowing the plaza to host so many different events and requested it not be granted a gaming license. Commissioner Tick Segerblom asked Queano to work with Strip businesses to ensure there was cooperation among all parties with an interest in the matter.

This is going to compete with the hotels on the Strip,” Segerblom said. “Obviously, we want to allow them to have tours and events related to Formula One and the cars and showing people the paddock and everything, but beyond that, we need to go forward carefully.” Queano was instructed to ensure the plaza doesn’t “unfairly compete with other industries, such as stadiums, resort hotels (and) convention centers,” he said.

Kevin Schiller, county manager, gave a presentation to commissioners in March that revealed 56 licenses issued to the Las Vegas Grand Prix — 20 food caterer licenses, eight film permits, eight off-premise liquor permits and 16 temporary store permits. Many of the business license applications were submitted past the established deadlines in Clark County code or had been handed over incomplete, the report stated.

Several liquor licenses had not completed the entire special events process ahead of last year’s race weekend, with the business license department receiving no application regarding the licenses.

One of the recommendations Schiller and his team produced was to “work with (Las Vegas Grand Prix) to determine the most appropriate, permanent business license for the pit building,” which prompted Tuesday’s discussion. 

“I think that as the Strip matures and the resort community continues to focus itself the way it’s doing, there’s a place for facilities like this, and I think the definition we give to the way that we license this particular license is going to go a long way toward helping us manage all of that,” Gibson said. grace.darocha@gmgvegas.com / 702-948-7854 /@gracedarocha