The second Grand Prix of Baltimore "sold 30,000 fewer tickets and generated $5 million less for the local economy than the first race," but an economic impact report "completed last week and released publicly
Thursday has nevertheless emboldened" Race On LLC partner J.P. Grant, according to Chris Korman of the Baltimore SUN. Grant said, "We pulled that off in 100 days, so it really is the floor of what we can do. We had a 60-page playbook and could only get through the first three pages. There's much more we'll do this year." Grant has "already started sharing the report with local business leaders, generating what he said was a positive response." He will "begin pressing for sponsorship support soon" and he also "hopes to have tickets on sale in time for Christmas as proof to skeptical fans that the race is on stable ground." But he and partner Greg O'Neill have yet to "reach a deal with Andretti Sports Marketing, the Indianapolis-based company hired to run the most recent race." The companies "remain in near-constant negotiations." Andretti Sports Marketing President John Lopes said that the company was "encouraged by the results of the economic impact study and anticipates working with Grant in some capacity this year" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 11/15).
