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The city of Babe Ruth, Fort McHenry, blue crabs, the Orioles and marble front steps will add another feature in 2011 with the Baltimore Grand Prix IndyCar race weekend, scheduled to run August 5-7, 2011.Baltimore Racing Development (BRD) announced at a press conference Wednesday at the Baltimore Civic Center that it has secured agreements with the City of Balimore and the Indy Racing League to bring a summer race to a 2.4-mile temporary street circuit around the scenic Inner Harbor area of the city's downtown for the next five years.
"This is an historic day for Baltimore and the State of Maryland, as well as the entire East Coast region, as we have finalized plans for the IZOD IndyCar Series racing in Baltimore in 2011," said Jay Davidson, CEO of the Baltimore Grand Prix and Baltimore Racing Development. "This three-day festival of speed will not just include car racing, but will feature family-friendly activities, offer great entertainment and much, much more."
Earlier, the Baltimore City Council and the Maryland Stadium Authority formally threw their support behind BRD's efforts to bring a race to the city. Those efforts began in 2008.
Among those joining Davidson for the announcement were Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Indy Racing League commercial division president Terry Angstadt, IZOD IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., according to a BRD statement.
"This is an extraordinary opportunity for Baltimore to shine in the national spotlight, and benefit from the millions in tourism dollars it will bring to our state," O'Malley said.
"Baltimore is a vibrant market that is strategically located in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic region," Angstadt said in the statement. "The Inner Harbor will make for a spectacular setting for the race, and Baltimore's downtown area has all of the elements necessary for a successful event weekend."
The Baltimore Grand Prix will be a combination of racing and festivities that will begin Friday morning and culminate on Sunday with the IZOD IndyCar Series race. The weekend will also include support races, the statement said.
BRD said it hopes to attract more than 100,000 people to the area, which would generate an estimated economic impact of $70 million, based on visitor spending on hotel nights, meals, tickets and other purchases. The track will be configured on downtown streets, including sections of Russell Street by Oriole Park at Camden Yards, West Pratt Street and along the Inner Harbor on Light Street.
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