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 DETROIT,
Mich.
(August
25,
2008) –
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix
officials
unveiled
the
transportation
plan for
this
weekend’s
event
with a
simple
and
familiar
theme –
park in
one of
the many
Grand
Prix
parking
spaces
located
in and
around
Detroit,
ride to
the
island
in style
and
enjoy a
great
weekend
of
high-speed
entertainment.
Incorporating
many
elements
of the
successful
transportation
system
utilized
last
year at
the
Grand
Prix –
with a
few key
enhancements
– event
officials
are
confident
that
fans
will
enjoy a
smooth
ride to
and from
the
races.
“Fans
that
attended
the
Grand
Prix
last
year
know
that the
shuttle
transportation
system
overall
worked
very
well,”
said Bud
Denker,
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix
Event
Chairman.
“There
were a
few
challenges
with
everyone
leaving
the
island
at the
same
time on
Sunday
evening
and
we’re
fully
prepared
to meet
those
challenges
this
year.
We’re
working
with
very
experienced
and
reliable
transportation
services
and
logistics
companies
this
year –
Royal
Transportation
and
Corporate
Production
Services
– and
we’ve
made
sure
that
each
shuttle
is
prepared
to be
dispatched
to any
location
to
provide
seamless
service
to our
fans.
It’s
going to
be an
even
better
experience
arriving
and
departing
Belle
Isle at
the
Grand
Prix
this
year.”
Once
again,
there is
no
public
parking
on Belle
Isle for
race
attendees
at the
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix,
August
29-31,
2008.
But
Grand
Prix
officials
have
ensured
that
there
are
plenty
of easy
and
cost-effective
parking
and
transportation
options
available
as
world-class
auto
racing
makes
its
annual
Labor
Day stop
in the
Motor
City.
The
enhanced
shuttle
transportation
system,
similar
to the
one used
last
year at
the
Grand
Prix and
what was
used
during
Super
Bowl XL
in
Detroit,
will be
in
effect
throughout
the
weekend.
More
than 60
full-size
motorcoaches
and over
20
smaller
mini-coaches
will be
used to
transport
fans on
and off
Belle
Isle.
The
expanded
transportation
bus loop
on Belle
Isle
will
also
allow
event
transportation
officials
to load
a
minimum
of 22
buses
(or 14
buses to
the
downtown
loop) at
a time,
making
for a
smoother
transition
off the
island.
Event
attendees
are
encouraged
to park
in the
Grand
Prix
parking
structures
in
downtown
Detroit
including
Cobo
Hall
(roof
and
underground
structures),
the Joe
Louis
Arena
parking
deck
(West
Jefferson
Ave. and
Third
Street)
and the
MGM
Casino
South
parking
deck
(Third
Street
and
Howard
Street).
Round-trip
shuttle
service
will run
continuously
from
7:30
a.m.–
8:30
p.m.
Friday-Sunday
and all
shuttles
will run
on a
continuous
downtown
loop to
all
three
locations.
Parking
in the
designated
Grand
Prix
areas
downtown
will be
$5 per
vehicle
each day
and a
round-trip
shuttle
ticket
will
cost $10
per
adult
and $5
for
children12
and
under.
The
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix
will
once
again
also
feature
suburban
Park and
Ride
locations
throughout
the
weekend.
Round-trip
shuttle
service
will be
available
at The
Henry
Ford in
Dearborn
and
Eastland
Center
in
Harper
Woods.
These
shuttles
to the
Grand
Prix
will
also
operate
from
7:30
a.m.–
8:30
p.m.
Friday
through
Sunday
and the
cost is
also $10
per
person
($5 or
children
12 and
under).
Parking
is $5
per
vehicle
per day
at The
Henry
Ford and
it will
be free
to park
throughout
the
weekend
at
Eastland
Center.
The City
of
Windsor
also
offers a
round-trip
shuttle
service
for
Canadian
race
fans.
For $8
Canadian
per
person
(children
12 and
under
are
free),
fans can
take the
shuttle
at the
Windsor
Bus
Terminal
to Belle
Isle and
back.
Proper
identification
is
required
to cross
the
international
border.
When
shuttle
riders
are
ready to
leave
Belle
Isle
each day
they
will
simply
need to
look for
the sign
at the
transportation
loop
that is
color-coordinated
with
their
specific
shuttle
location,
making
it easy
to find
their
designated
route at
the end
of their
day.
While
there
will be
limited
parking
available
on Belle
Isle for
those
wishing
to visit
the
other
attractions
on the
island
on
Friday
and
Saturday
of race
weekend,
there
will be
NO Grand
Prix
parking
allowed
on the
island
without
proper
credentials
throughout
the
weekend.
Only
vehicles
with
proper
access
passes
will be
allowed
to visit
the
island
on
Sunday.
For
people
who park
in
another
location
in
downtown
Detroit
and wish
to ride
the
Grand
Prix
shuttles
to Belle
Isle, it
is
recommended
to take
the
Detroit
People
Mover to
the Cobo
Center
or Joe
Louis
Arena
stations
and
board
the
shuttles
at those
locations.
The
normal
routes
for
public
transportation
providers,
including
DDOT,
SMART
Bus and
the
Detroit
People
Mover,
will
remain
in
effect
during
the
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix and
the
Detroit
International
Jazz
Festival
Labor
Day
weekend.
For more
information
on
transportation
to the
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix,
visit
www.detroitqp.com.
About
the
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix
The
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix is
organized
and
promoted
by a
subsidiary
of the
Downtown
Detroit
Partnership,
whose
chairman
is Roger
Penske.
A
special
charitable
organization
has been
established
that
enables
all net
proceeds
raised
by the
Grand
Prix to
fund
measures
for the
improvement
and
preservation
of Belle
Isle.
Once
again
featuring
the
IndyCar
Series
and the
American
Le Mans
Series —
along
with the
SCCA
SPEED
World
Challenge
GT
Championship,
new for
2008 —
the
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix
will be
held
Labor
Day
weekend,
August
29-31,
2008. To
learn
more
about
the
Detroit
Belle
Isle
Grand
Prix,
please
visit
www.detroitqp.com.
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