Baltimore Grand Prix

pfd103 · September 1st, 2011, 08:05 PM

Pictures of a walk on the track as it's being finished:

StevenW · September 2nd, 2011, 04:20 PM

very exciting!

Exrexnotex · September 2nd, 2011, 07:02 PM

I get off class yesterday and before going home I thought I'd stop by Potbelly [UMD] so I'm driving there and the traffic is horrible, don't know why...but when I finally put two and two together, oh, right!, it's the damn Grand Prix. But, Whatever it takes to give the city some nice exposure both nationally and internationally.

Those businesses around downtown must be very happy...

Nice pics! by the way.

KLynch · September 2nd, 2011, 07:59 PM

Going on Sunday, pretty excited, don't know what to expect!

How long has BBandT been on the Renaissance building?

waj0527 · September 4th, 2011, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLynch

Going on Sunday, pretty excited, don't know what to expect!

How long has BBandT been on the Renaissance building?

Literally a matter of days. BB&T's sign is up. PNC and TransAmerica also placed signage on downtown buildings just in time for the race.

micrip · September 4th, 2011, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLynch

Going on Sunday, pretty excited, don't know what to expect!

How long has BBandT been on the Renaissance building?

I was at IH on Wednesday and the sign was being finished then.

This is going to be absolute dynamite for the city. This race could become as associated with Labor Day as the Indy 500 is to Memorial Day. Hopefully it will be on a major network by next year,

pfd103 · September 4th, 2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micrip

I was at IH on Wednesday and the sign was being finished then.

This is going to be absolute dynamite for the city. This race could become as associated with Labor Day as the Indy 500 is to Memorial Day. Hopefully it will be on a major network by next year,

Versus and ABC this year...not too bad.

scando · September 5th, 2011, 03:17 AM

Anybody else there? It was an epic event. It's been a while since I was at a race and the sound and speed were amazing. 180 on Pratt Street is hard to believe, but what's harder is that a few feet later, they had to hit the brakes and make it through a sharp turn. Organization was excellent, the crowd huge, prices high but tolerable and you could almost get a contact high from the alcohol in the exhaust fumes. It was truly a spectacle. I understand that you could hear it from Hampden. I'm not aware of any unfortunate incidents and while there were plenty of drunks, they were tolerably behaved. I guess the $45 price of the cheapest ticket kept the street people out of the compound.

micrip · September 5th, 2011, 04:25 AM

I didn't attend (I think I will next year) but I think the ticket prices were quite affordable. Orioles tickets (for the best seats) are comparable and I bet that most Ravens tix are higher.

Was it also on ABC? The paper had it on Versus.

scando · September 5th, 2011, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micrip

I didn't attend (I think I will next year) but I think the ticket prices were quite affordable. Orioles tickets (for the best seats) are comparable and I bet that most Ravens tix are higher.

Was it also on ABC? The paper had it on Versus.

The walking around ticket (no grandstand seat) is only $45. You can get right up to the action in any part of the course, so close that you smell the alcohol (cars, not fans).

pfd103 · September 5th, 2011, 06:01 AM

Great ESPN article:

http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/st...winner-indycar

pfd103 · September 5th, 2011, 05:07 PM

Screen Capture from ESPN...I'd love to see the high-res of this:

smokeybandit · September 5th, 2011, 08:40 PM

Here's a digital "video game" lap of the course

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbDXD...layer_embedded

pepperjack · September 6th, 2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micrip

I didn't attend (I think I will next year) but I think the ticket prices were quite affordable. Orioles tickets (for the best seats) are comparable and I bet that most Ravens tix are higher.

Was it also on ABC? The paper had it on Versus.

The Indy race was live on VS on Sunday. Tape delayed ALMS race from Saturday was on ABC.

PeterSmith · October 19th, 2011, 03:44 PM

From the Sunpaper: Survey: Grand Prix fell short of spending projections. Disappointing, but I'm not ready to say that hosting the event wasn't worth it. The national and internation attention has to count for something.

pfd103 · October 19th, 2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterSmith

From the Sunpaper: Survey: Grand Prix fell short of spending projections. Disappointing, but I'm not ready to say that hosting the event wasn't worth it. The national and internation attention has to count for something.

$25 Million in the first year isn't too bad in my estimate. I'd expect it to climb a bit next year now that people realize that the city doesn't completely shut down for these large scale events. I know a lot of people left town for the weekend to avoid the mayhem (which didn't seem to be half as bad as was expected). We'll see though.

ChrisLHanssen · October 20th, 2011, 07:47 AM

I watched some of that on Versus. So glad to see fellow Marylanders here. It was quite odd seeing cars going that fast legally on Baltimore streets.

scando · October 20th, 2011, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfd103

$25 Million in the first year isn't too bad in my estimate. I'd expect it to climb a bit next year now that people realize that the city doesn't completely shut down for these large scale events. I know a lot of people left town for the weekend to avoid the mayhem (which didn't seem to be half as bad as was expected). We'll see though.

The best part of this downsized profit is that still is in positive numbers. Next year, the expenses will be smaller, the disruption less and the race better known. It may not be the "license to print money" that the mayor of Long Beach, CA predicted, but it's bigger than most events we have.

scando · October 20th, 2011, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisLHanssen

I watched some of that on Versus. So glad to see fellow Marylanders here. It was quite odd seeing cars going that fast legally on Baltimore streets.

Do it live next year. TV just doesn't convey how impressive the speed and noise are. Also, there's so much alcohol in the air (exhaust from ethanol fueled cars) that you barely need beer....just stand close to the course and breathe deeply.

ChrisLHanssen · October 22nd, 2011, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scando

Do it live next year. TV just doesn't convey how impressive the speed and noise are. Also, there's so much alcohol in the air (exhaust from ethanol fueled cars) that you barely need beer....just stand close to the course and breathe deeply.

September 1st, 2011, 08:05 PM	#1
pfd103 Bmore Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Baltimore Posts: 1,243 Likes (Received): 5	Baltimore Grand Prix Pictures of a walk on the track as it's being finished:

September 2nd, 2011, 04:20 PM	#2
StevenW Born in Baltimore Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Newberry, SC Posts: 10,650 Likes (Received): 13	very exciting! __________________ Baltimore, my hometown.

September 2nd, 2011, 07:02 PM	#3
Exrexnotex Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 2,302 Likes (Received): 0	I get off class yesterday and before going home I thought I'd stop by Potbelly [UMD] so I'm driving there and the traffic is horrible, don't know why...but when I finally put two and two together, oh, right!, it's the damn Grand Prix. But, Whatever it takes to give the city some nice exposure both nationally and internationally. Those businesses around downtown must be very happy... Nice pics! by the way. __________________ "It's Baltimore, gentlemen...The gods wil not save you."

September 5th, 2011, 04:25 AM	#9
micrip Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Baltimore Posts: 2,456 Likes (Received): 23	I didn't attend (I think I will next year) but I think the ticket prices were quite affordable. Orioles tickets (for the best seats) are comparable and I bet that most Ravens tix are higher. Was it also on ABC? The paper had it on Versus. __________________ Ham and eggs... A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig

October 20th, 2011, 07:47 AM	#17
ChrisLHanssen From the desk of the HA Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Glen Burnie Posts: 33 Likes (Received): 1	I watched some of that on Versus. So glad to see fellow Marylanders here. It was quite odd seeing cars going that fast legally on Baltimore streets. __________________ Christopher Logan Hanssen bloodraynelover4ever@cablespeed.com President of The BloodRayne Sarah Kerrigan Liberation Front "Quiet, I'm good at this!" " I got bowel in my hair!" BloodRayne "It doesn't take a telepath to know what your thinking!" Sarah Kerrigan "You'll never stop at one!! I'll take you all on!!!!" Optimus Prime Transformers 2 Revenge Of The Fallen "We will kill them all." "For today in the name of freedom, we take the battle to them!!!!" Optimus Prime Transformers 3 Dark Of The Moon

September 2nd, 2011, 07:59 PM	#4
KLynch Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: South Baltimore Posts: 1,312 Likes (Received): 20	Going on Sunday, pretty excited, don't know what to expect! How long has BBandT been on the Renaissance building?

September 5th, 2011, 03:17 AM	#8
scando Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 4,202 Likes (Received): 11	Anybody else there? It was an epic event. It's been a while since I was at a race and the sound and speed were amazing. 180 on Pratt Street is hard to believe, but what's harder is that a few feet later, they had to hit the brakes and make it through a sharp turn. Organization was excellent, the crowd huge, prices high but tolerable and you could almost get a contact high from the alcohol in the exhaust fumes. It was truly a spectacle. I understand that you could hear it from Hampden. I'm not aware of any unfortunate incidents and while there were plenty of drunks, they were tolerably behaved. I guess the $45 price of the cheapest ticket kept the street people out of the compound.

September 5th, 2011, 06:01 AM	#11
pfd103 Bmore Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Baltimore Posts: 1,243 Likes (Received): 5	Great ESPN article: http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/st...winner-indycar

September 5th, 2011, 05:07 PM	#12
pfd103 Bmore Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Baltimore Posts: 1,243 Likes (Received): 5	Screen Capture from ESPN...I'd love to see the high-res of this:

September 5th, 2011, 08:40 PM	#13
smokeybandit Registered User Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 117 Likes (Received): 0	Here's a digital "video game" lap of the course http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbDXD...layer_embedded

October 19th, 2011, 03:44 PM	#15
PeterSmith Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami/Baltimore Posts: 4,176 Likes (Received): 25	From the Sunpaper: Survey: Grand Prix fell short of spending projections. Disappointing, but I'm not ready to say that hosting the event wasn't worth it. The national and internation attention has to count for something.

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