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Circuit of The Americas misses human trafficking prevention plan deadline, loses $25M in state funds

Circuit of The Americas is the site of the United States’ only Formula 1 race. (Getty Images)
Circuit of The Americas is the site of the United States’ only Formula 1 race. (Getty Images)

A missed deadline is costing the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, a ton of money from the state.

The track missed a state-mandated deadline to file its human trafficking prevention program. That missed deadline means that COTA won’t receive $25 million in state funds from Texas’ major events reimbursement program. The plan had to be filed a month ahead of the 2018 United States Grand Prix Formula 1 race.

From the Austin American-Statesman:

The plan was due Sept. 19. CELOC submitted it Oct. 3.

“In this case, the law is clear that if a human trafficking prevention plan is not submitted 30 days prior to an event, a reimbursement from the Major Events Fund cannot be issued,” Abbott spokesman John Wittman said in an emailed statement. “The State of Texas and COTA have a productive partnership that has had a tremendous economic impact on the city of Austin and the state as a whole, and our office is already working with COTA on next year’s race.”

The track said in a statement that it was hopeful it could obtain the money for 2018. The payment from Texas’ fund is calculated based on the economic impact the track brings to the state.

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“The anti-trafficking plan was on file for other events throughout the year, so it is not a question of implementation,” the track’s statement said. “In April of 2018, the Circuit of The Americas operations team developed a human trafficking plan to be included in the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for the 2018 MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas. That plan stayed in place throughout the entire 2018 race season.

“As the reimbursement for the 2017 USGP was not paid until ten months after the event, we remain hopeful the 2018 issues can still be resolved. Circuit of The Americas is a private company and does not release financial information.”

COTA’s check for the 2019 season is set to be bigger. Assuming it meets the 2019 deadline to submit its human trafficking plan, of course. The track is hosting Formula 1 and MotoGP again and is also hosting its first IndyCar race. The IndyCar Series put COTA on the 2019 schedule.

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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.

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