Nicknamed the “Cinderella City” in the 1970s and ’80s for massive revitalization projects such as the Inner Harbor, Baltimore is making another grand entrance on the urban renewal front. In lieu of a fairy godmother with a magic wand, the city has recently invested $10 billion in new and planned development in an ongoing renaissance that involves public and private construction in the hospitality and home real estate sectors as well as infrastructure upgrades and new and improved attractions.
Already, Baltimore has seen marked increases in tourism and business travel; it’s clear that the makeover is attracting the attention of charming princes and princesses far and wide. And where is Cinderella without a ball—or a conference—to attend? Convention business and the needs of meeting planners are a top priority in Baltimore, and a host of recent developments provides the glass slipper of proof.
“Everywhere you look, cranes dot the skyline in Baltimore, which is a strong indication of confidence in our city’s growth,” says Thomas Noonan, president and CEO of the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association. “If you haven’t been to Baltimore lately, you would be very surprised at all the changes. Baltimore is clearly in round two of its revitalization effort. There are a number of exciting renovations taking place throughout the city, but the most exciting development is the construction of the Hilton Baltimore Convention Center.”
When it opens in August 2008, the new Hilton will add 757 guest rooms to downtown Baltimore’s existing inventory of 6,500 guest units. It will also offer 62,000 square feet of meeting space and 5,000 square feet of dining space, all connected to the Baltimore Convention Center via an enclosed, climate-controlled pedestrian walkway.
The convention center itself measures 1.2 million square feet and features 300,000 square feet of exhibit halls, 85,000 square feet of meeting rooms and a 36,000-square-foot ballroom.
With 79,500 square feet of function space, the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront is the largest meetings hotel in town. Other heavy hitters include the Sheraton Inner Harbor, one of many properties undergoing renovations; the Hyatt Regency Baltimore; the Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards; the Sheraton Baltimore City Center (formerly the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor); the Tremont Park Hotel and its sister property, the Tremont Grand meeting facility; and Turf Valley Resort in nearby Ellicott City.
There’s more in store, Noonan promises. Planners can expect more hotels, more to do and even hip new downtown neighborhoods.
“Another exciting development is happening on the east side of town, where a Four Seasons will open in a few years,” Noonan says. “Harbor East is located on the water between the Inner Harbor and Fell’s Point, and it is becoming one of the city’s hot spots, with new condominiums, restaurants, hotels, and shops opening. This area didn’t even exist 10 years ago, and now it is becoming its own destination.”
Despite all of the new developments, Baltimore will continue to be a city that’s easy to navigate and easily accessible, according to Noonan.
“Baltimore’s strength is that everything is within walking distance,” Noonan says. “How many cities have a convention center just blocks from a vibrant waterfront, hotels, restaurants, and world-class attractions? Even the airport is just 10 minutes away, and there is easy access in and out with Amtrak.
“The feedback has been positive about the current building boom taking place because with development comes new energy—with new and expanding attractions and museums, restaurants, hotels, retail, and nightlife opportunities,” Noonan adds. “With the convention center located in the heart of the city, it eliminates the hassle of transporting convention attendees because they can walk just about anywhere and find something fun to do.”
Crowd-Pleasing Lures
And no matter what an attendee’s idea of fun is, there’s certainly plenty to experience. Even convention-goers who usually turn into pumpkins as soon as the day’s agenda is over will easily be tempted to venture out and explore.
Home to more than 16,000 fascinating sea creatures, the National Aquarium is one of the top sights in the U.S. One of its newest exhibits is Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes, a 65,000-square-foot glass pavilion showcasing Australia’s ecosystems that opened in late 2005. The aquarium offers event rentals for groups of up to 2,500.
The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture opened in 2006 to honor 400 years of African-American history. The facility, which is the East Coast’s largest African-American museum, offers a 200-seat theater.
The Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park also debuted in 2006 to pay homage to African-American maritime history. The site of the first African-American-owned shipyard, the new museum attraction chronicles the lives of Frederick Douglass and Isaac Myers. The property is available for event rentals.
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum boasts one of the largest and oldest collections of locomotives and railroad equipment and memorabilia in the world. Its 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse can accommodate 1,500 people for receptions or 500 seated, and there are several other indoor and outdoor spaces available.
Maryland Science Center can welcome as many as 1,500 people standing or 500 seated in its various venues. Its IMAX theater seats 400, and its Davis Planetarium seats 140.
The Baltimore Museum of Industry showcases the technologies of the Industrial Revolution and Baltimore’s role as a capital of invention and innovation. Its Decker Gallery provides beautiful views of the Inner Harbor through a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor promenade, and it accommodates 500 people standing or 300 seated.
The Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum are longstanding favorites, and they are now free to the public, as admission fees to both institutions were permanently eliminated last October.
Center of Attention
Increasingly, Baltimore is becoming a tourism hub. Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean cruise lines now operate regularly out of the Port of Baltimore. Meanwhile, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) has completed numerous expansion and improvement projects designed to increase its convenience, and United Airlines and Southwest Airlines recently announced new flights at BWI.
“Baltimore will continue its growth, offering visitors more experiences,” Noonan says. “We are working to create more annual destination events that will help us attract new business to the city. Baltimore can currently compete for about 85 percent of the business out there. With the opening of the Hilton property in 2008, we will become even more competitive because the hotel will give meeting planners the headquarters property connected to a convention center that they want in a destination.”
Noonan predicts that Baltimore will soon become a “don’t-miss” destination.
“We want to be a city that is top of mind for everyone—planners, convention and meeting attendees and leisure travelers—and a city that people automatically think about when planning a meeting or a trip,” he says.
Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
Maryland’s capital, Annapolis, is located south of Baltimore in Anne Arundel County. Founded as a seaport in the 18th century, Annapolis is steeped in maritime history and home to the U.S. Naval Academy.
In Anne Arundel County, there are 20 hotels in the planning stages or currently under construction, with a current tally of more than 7,000 hotel rooms and 150 meeting spaces. The fast-growing and convenient BWI Gateway area alone offers 3,500 rooms in 25 properties, with more coming on-line. In the past year, a Hilton and a Sheraton opened near the airport, and new properties are in the pipeline, including a Westin as well as the 31-acre Crosswinds Resort, which will feature four hotels; a 120,000-square-foot conference center; a water park; a spa; and retail, dining and entertainment venues. In Annapolis, a Westin hotel is slated to debut later this year, augmenting the city’s current list of meetings-friendly options, which includes Loews Annapolis Hotel and Doubletree Hotel Annapolis.
Just as Chesapeake Bay drew the first settlers to the area, it continues to draw tourists, planners and groups with its world-renowned boating, unparalleled seafood and compelling colonial history.
The Maryland State House in Annapolis, built in 1779, is the nation’s oldest state capitol still in legislative use and a popular historic attraction.
Planners can get groups out onto the water with sailing excursions, kayaking adventures and fishing tournaments.
No matter what delegates choose to experience, sampling Maryland’s famous crab cakes and steamed crabs at a waterfront restaurant should always be part of the agenda.
For More Info
Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau 410.280.0445
www.visitannapolis.org
Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association 410.659.7300
www.baltimore.org
