Baltimore Is Booming With Thursday Night Football & Star-Spangled Spectacular
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Baltimore is sold out! Crowds pack Charm City for the 200th anniversary celebration of the national anthem and the Ravens-Steelers game on Thursday Night Football.
Mary Bubala has more on the big day in Baltimore.
Baltimore City is in the national spotlight like never before with the first ever Thursday Night Football game on CBS.
The Ravens face division rival Steelers. It's a match made in economic heaven for local hotels and restaurants.
"Sold out city, everything in the city is full, everyone is excited about it," said Gene Michael Addis, general manager of Lorde Baltimore Hotel.
Area hotels like the Lorde Baltimore are seeing record breaking bookings because of the big Ravens game, the first-place Orioles home stand against the Yankees, and the Star-Spangled Spectacular, which organizers say is the largest tourism event in Baltimore's history.
The Star-Spangled Spectacular is expected to bring more the 1million people to Baltimore. Those tourists are expected to spend more than $166 million within the week, generating some $7 million in tax revenue.
"This will have a tremendous impact, economic impact for the city," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. "Everytime we host big events it represents jobs."
Staff at hotels and restaurants are putting in extra hours, ready to cater to sports fans and history buffs.
Apropoe's at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront will serve buckets of beer for $18.12 to celebrate the bicentennial. And the hotel is booked solid.
"There is going to be a $7 million direct spend to the hotel industry," said Sherri Griffis, Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.
City officials say the impact of these events is equal to hosting the Super Bowl. It's that big.
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