Proximity to Hollywood made it impossible to avoid the infusion of star power. There was even a special race that paired celebrities with professionals as they competed on the course. There was a charity event benefiting a local children's hospital, and a race down Hollywood Boulevard. All very glitzy and high end, with something for everyone.
On thing that caught my eye was the fleet of yachts moored in the harbor for the occasion. It seems many fans of Grand Prix racing favor this form of transportation and entertaining. So in addition to this having a significant impact on the hotel and restaurant industries, it seems the marinas benefit as well. That doesn't even factor in the priceless PR from the focus on local attractions that create the setting. (Yes, the Queen Mary made a cameo appearance. What's Long Beach without their reigning monarch?)
The cameras have focused on numerous private parties taking place under rooftop tents overlooking the course. Think of all the space available on the Convention Center terrace and imagine what kind of soirees they could host.
I keep telling myself that Long Beach has had 36 years to fine tune their production and it would probably take a few laps for Baltimore to develop a personality of its own. But when you look at the aerial shots and the sweeping panoramas of the crowd, it's hard to not think how an event like this could really showcase our assets while pumping some high octane into the economy.
We'll be hearing more soon, so check it out for yourself. Streaming video is available on line so you can view both the Long Beach and St. Petersburg races. Just imagine your home state in the starring role.
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