As the tourist poured into Baltimore for the first inaugural Grand Prix race locals stayed away. Fear of crowds, fear of no parking, and fear of traffic snafus – Baltimoreans deserted downtown. If you speak to restaurateurs they will tell you Friday night was a bust. No clients, even the Gathering of food trucks was slower than their previous Friday evenings.
A quick conversation on Facebook with area restaurateurs validated the situation. Saturday night picked up but wasn’t “all that.” Little Italy was also set with special al fresco dining; everything looked festive per Gia Daniella of Café Gia. It was near 5 p.m. when she posted, “we definitely have the spirit! We need the people.” Fells Point restaurateur Nancy Longo of Pierpoint said the restaurant was dead as well as Canton, Inner Harbor East. Pierpoint’s Longo has felt the brunt of no parking last weekend because of Hurricane Irene and now the Grand Prix. Another restaurateur said Little Italy was dead as well as Harbor East on Friday but did pick up on Saturday night.
Stories are coming in of gouging for parking which normally might be between $20 to $25 a day over Grand Prix Weekend it was $40. We need to work out these kinks for next year. How do we integrate more of the businesses rather than leave them running dead last in benefits from the Grand Prix?
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