for them (like CBS Radio & WJZ, who are the only local “media” outlets who are pocketing a profit). As I wrote 52 weeks ago, it was a nice event. People came because they gave the tickets away. It was a nice weekend. But, is it really worth ripping the city apart for two months and many people never getting paid for the work they did? Someone should demand some accountability from Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and anyone else who is responsible for this mess.
As a city tax payer, I have no vote. It’s here. I want it to do well. I need it to do well. I hope a million people show up. But someone should have to answer for how f***ed up it’s been downtown with no apparent financial windfall. Lord knows, they’ve made the tickets cheap enough to try to attract people by offering discounts all over the internet to lure people to the events this weekend.
I’m really not sure the people who don’t live downtown or come downtown understand what a civic engineering project this is for tens of thousands of people and the expense and nuisance associated with turning the Inner Harbor into a racetrack for 72 hours. It’s amazing.
It’ll be impressive as the speed and color of the cars fly through downtown all weekend. And I’m sure a crowd of some note will gather.
But is it worth it for Baltimore?
It’s certainly a civic conversation that should be had…
