Baltimore Racing Development, a limited liability company, is proposing five years of what it calls a “Baltimore Grand Prix” beginning in the late summer or early fall of 2011. BRD has been meeting with city and state officials - including representatives of Mayor Sheila Dixon - and with the Indy Racing League’s IndyCar Series.
The race would be patterned in part after IndyCar Series street races in Toronto; St. Petersburg, Fla. ; and Long Beach, Calif.
A feasibility study obtained by The Baltimore Sun says the race and related events could have an economic impact of as much as $100 million. By comparison, the Preakness is estimated to have a $60 million impact. The horse race is the state’s largest annual sporting event and helps support Maryland’s thoroughbred industry for the rest of the year.
Maryland’s interest is serious enough that Terry Hasseltine, director of the state’s office of sports marketing, traveled to St. Petersburg in April to observe the “Streets of St. Petersburg” race.
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“The stands were packed around every corner. People were just buzzing throughout the area,” Hasseltine said. “There had to be at least 110,000 on that final day.”
The race plans cannot be finalized until the city, BRD and IndyCar officials agree. Davidson said BRD was working on noise and traffic management studies for the city that could be completed within about a month.
The course would be about 2.4 miles long with the pit area adjacent to Camden Yards, according to the feasibility study.
Among the consultants working to bring the race to Baltimore is two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr.
Unser, who is also a driver coach for the Indy Racing League, said the Inner Harbor would be a scenic backdrop and that the event could attract racing fans from Washington, Philadelphia and New York.
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