LPGA Championship revenues boost Havre de Grace’s profits
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Havre de Grace, Md. (Map, News) - Cash and tourists poured into Havre de Grace for this year’s LPGA Championship.

More than 92,200 people turned out at Bulle Rock Golf Course for the four-day tournament last month, which generated $4 million in spending, said Brigitte Layton, Havre de Grace tourism director.

After the tournament’s third consecutive year in the small town, county and city officials say they have marketing plans down pat. The town is profiting more each year, Layton said.

“Just like any new business opening up, the three-year plan is what we’re looking at,” she said.

Havre de Grace focused on improving the private players’ dinner on the water because celebrities mean more attention, people and money, Layton said.

With a noticeable increase in traffic and waiting times at Havre de Grace restaurants, Harford County tourism director Wini Roche said this year’s focus was on promoting restaurants.

At MacGregor’s Restaurant, lines ran longer than usual. LPGA player Heather Young couldn’t get a table the two times she stopped by the restaurant, owner Dan Lee said.

The Bayou Restaurant won the “dine-around” promotion in which customers who eat at restaurants get raffle entries for the chance to win a free cruise, Roche said.

Proceeds from the contest went to Ronald McDonald House Charities, which received $1 million from the championship.

Jim Murray, the charity’s founder, said the global media coverage of the tournament makes “everybody a winner.”

“I don’t know what the price on that is, but it’s not money,” he said. “You put all these things together, and you’re way under par.”

msilvestri@baltimoreexaminer.com


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10:34 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 9, 2008 re: "Harborplace vacancies open door for national chains"

Sean from Baltimore said:
Remember the original variety, quirkiness and charm of the Pavilions? It's GONE. The interior layout has been hacked up and blocked off, restaurants keep closing, and the remaining high-quality specialty shops are leaving one by one. The upper floor of the Light Street Pavilion is a WASTELAND beyond the food court. General Growth Properties has done a HORRIBLE job.

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11:15 PM MST on Wed., Jun. 25, 2008 re: "Harborplace vacancies open door for national chains"

Examiner Reader said:
rouse, then owner, said this about horrible place 10 years ago, hat in hand for city $. do your homework. some figures and perspective might make your business stories relevant to somebody.

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11:00 PM MST on Wed., Jun. 25, 2008 re: "Harborplace vacancies open door for national chains"

Examiner Reader said:
journalism -- or press release, which some construe and present to the world as journalism on the cheap. it shows.

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12:57 PM MST on Wed., Jun. 25, 2008 re: "Harborplace vacancies open door for national chains"

Bill said:
um...Fire & Ice *is* a national chain. Ok, so fill the empty space with 'upscale national retailers'. What have you got? TowsonTown Center South. BFD.

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10:40 AM MST on Mon., Jun. 16, 2008 re: "Ocean City hopes for average numbers in tough economic season for tourism"

Rocko said:
I was in OC this past weekend and it was VERY quiet down there. Much fewer people than I am used to seeing this time of year. I have been going to OC at least8 times per year over the past 20 years, and it was much quieter than usual.

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10:05 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 19, 2007 re: "Study: City needs more tourist attractions"

mike johnson said:
As a native born Baltimorean, I have always had an inferiority complex next to Philly and Washington DC. There have been places that are must-sees for people coming into town, like the architecture around Mount Vernon, the restaurants of Little Italy and Inner Harbor East, the wineries in Carroll and Harford County (in season), and the world class gems of the Walters and BMA. Historically, Philadelphia shined in the colonial period and has been lovingly restored. Washington is the home of a thousand federally funded tourist attractions. Baltimore became a major city in that period of time after the powdered wig era and before Washington became capital of the world. Americans have lost track of how much of the US of today would not exist without the sailing ships, steam locomotives, warehouseman and factory workers that met here. Show me the last time one of the conventioneers was murdered in Baltimore. Baltimore is a city, not Disneyland, but I like it.

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