BALTIMORE (AP) — Two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Al Unser Jr. is getting behind the wheel of a plan to bring a Grand Prix style race to the streets of Baltimore.
Unser was on hand at a news conference Monday on behalf of the Baltimore Racing Development, which announced its intention to secure a Indy Racing League event for the city in 2011. The announcement followed the unanimous approval of a City Council resolution last week that provided BRD exclusive rights for two-years to pursue bringing an IRL Race to Baltimore.
Baltimore Racing Development intends to complete traffic and noise studies for the area and meet with local community and business leaders, while continuing to negotiate with the IRL.
BRD hopes to obtain final approval from Baltimore officials before April 2010. The IRL will announce in July 2010 which city has received the 2011 race, and the subsequent three to five-year deal to annually present the race.
Project officials expect the event to bring more than 150,000 visitors to Baltimore and generate as much as $100 million in over the four-day span, based on visitor spending.
The track would run through downtown Baltimore along the Harborplace area.
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