Andretti Sports Marketing will bring the Izod IndyCar Series back to the Milwaukee Mile on Saturday, June 16, according to Dave Kallmann of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. This will be the “first attempt at promoting a race for Andretti Sports Marketing LLC," which is a collaboration of Andretti Autosport and MDC Partners, a Canadian "holding company involved in marketing and advertising.” Former AirTran Airways Senior VP/Marketing & Planning Kevin Healy “will serve as managing director for what the group is calling Milwaukee IndyFest.” A State Fair Park representative said that a rental contract for the facility “has not been signed,” although that “isn't expected to be a problem.” Andretti Sports Marketing “had not planned to announce the event Friday, but a mistake on the Milwaukeemile.com website forced its hand.” Prematurely posted was an announcement for the "(insert sponsor name here) Indy 225 presented by (insert sponsor name here)." Milwaukee returned to the IndyCar schedule in ‘11 “after a one-year absence, but the race drew a smaller-than-expected crowd.” AB Promotions, a “first-year race organizer, suffered a significant financial loss after failing to attract a title sponsor and then suffered from ticketing and logistical problems” (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 2/11). RACER.com’s David Malsher asked IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard, “What's going to work for Milwaukee this year that didn't work last year?” Bernard: “There are no guarantees. But Michael Andretti and John Lopes will be great promoters and I believe a 12.30pm start time on Saturday is good. There's been a lot of press about Milwaukee and I think a lot of people understand that if they want it, it's going to have to be a successful event” (RACER.com, 2/11). In Indianapolis, Curt Cavin noted the addition of Milwaukee “will give IndyCar five oval tracks for the upcoming season” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 2/11).
LETTING THE INK DRY: Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's office announced that city officials are “completing a five-year deal with a new group to manage the Baltimore Grand Prix and plan to announce the terms of the deal Wednesday.” Rawlings-Blake in a statement said, "We have worked hard to learn from past experiences to ensure that this new agreement is in the best interests of taxpayers and will bring a successful, world-class sporting event that Baltimore can be proud of for years to come." In Baltimore, Julie Scharper noted the mayor's office “did not say who would receive the contract to operate the three-day racing festival.” Sources said that the city “has been negotiating exclusively with Dale Dillon, an Indianapolis-based contractor.” Sources added that Dillon “plans to partner with Felix Dawson, a former Constellation Energy executive, to organize the race.” It is "unclear whether the city will require the new group to repay any of Baltimore Racing Development's debts to the city, state, vendors and investors” (Baltimore SUN, 2/11).
