Screens blocking overpass views of Sphere, F1 course damaged

Somebody apparently doesn’t like their view of the Sphere blocked.

A plastic screen similar to the material used for vehicle and building wraps has been placed on the glass sections of pedestrian bridges on the Strip, apparently to block the view of the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix race course.

These screens on the bridge linking Wynn Las Vegas and The Venetian — one of the most popular locations to snap a picture of the Sphere — are already being ripped down, leaving holes through which photos could be taken of the city’s newest icon.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t see it the way it’s been,” Gino Lauwen, a tourist from Belgium, said Tuesday from the Sands Avenue pedestrian overpass.

Lauwen and his fiance, Lies VanMeerbergen, also of Belgium, plan to see “Postcard from Earth,” the Darren Aronofsky film being shown at the Sphere on Wednesday, but wanted to get a look and take some pictures of the building before going.

Lauwen grabbed a piece of the loose screen, adding, “I just don’t want people to think I did this,” he said.

Pat Nelke, a visitor from St. Louis, Missouri, said he understands why views of the Formula One course were blocked, but he questioned whether the investment in the race is going to pay off for Las Vegas.

“I guess there are people smarter than me who have thought this through, but I doubt I’ll be coming back to Las Vegas before next year’s race,” he said.

A spokesman for Clark County said the bridge screens were requested by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and inquiries were referred to the department.

Efforts to contact Metro about how much the screens cost or if and how they would be replaced were unsuccessful.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.