Zippity Zamboni !!

Breathes there a fan with a soul so dead that never once sat in a rink and thought:

WOULDN'T IT BE A GAS TO DRIVE THE ZAMBONI?

Of course you have.  Admit it.  Everyone wants to take the icer for a spin, maybe slip-sliding around the corners and steaming designs into the surface.

Well, thanks to the good folks at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, you can learn to do just that.

Yes, one of the premier indoor skating facilities in the state is offering Driver's Ed for aspiring Zamboni-ites.  And the next class is registering now.

Ice House has a fleet of  four to keep their rinks in top shape.  But don't think this means bumper cars or drag racing on ice.  These vehicles cost about $80,000 each, so you won't be joy riding in them.

For the last several years, Ice House has hosted Zamboni driving schools around the holidays. Actually,  Zamboni classes are given frequently, but this time of year makes a lesson a particularly nice gift for those who have everything.

In addition to learning how to operate the Zamboni, students will also be given a history lesson about the innovative machines and the family who built them by hand shortly after World War II using the frames of old army jeeps.

The engineering principles of the ice cutter and melter will be explained, and after you know all the mechanics of the machine, you'll be allowed to take it for a spin.

Proceeds from the class tuition will go towards maintaining the stable of Zambonis and also supporting the Ice House's youth hockey program and elite travel squad.

Opened in 1996, the Gardens Ice House is home to the Potomac Curling Club and the University of Maryland hockey team, among others.   They have three sheets of ice - two NHL size, and one Olympic rink. During the summer, two of the rinks are used for roller hockey while the third is maintained for ice skating.

Ice House has spectator seating, a cafe, and pro shop.  You can rent skates (figure and hockey), and take lessons.  There are also party rooms, a fitness center, and meeting or conference facilities.
All that, and Zamboni Ed, too.

On Time, On Budget

For the people I work with, it's more than a mantra.  On time, on budget is a promise made and kept.

While I've always admired the work ethic that comes that commitment, this is the first time I've lived with it.  In this case, it means heavy construction projects with a tight schedule.  Under my window.  It's an eye opener rather than earache, though.  It shows just how skillfully our professionals plan things.

Because Camden Yards operates 365 days a year as an office complex, visitor attraction, and transit center as well as sports complex, our engineers coordinate work around those functions.  Their juggling is worthy of Cirque du Soleil.

Right now, it is well below freezing with high winds making the chill factor much lower.  But work began on the Pit Lane improvements long before I arrived this morning.  Like the widening of Lee Street by the City, construction had to begin as soon as the Orioles season ended, and completed before their return in the spring.

That's a pretty narrow window, and doesn't leave much wiggle room for bad weather or anything else.  And yes, there is some discomfort for Ravens home games, but that will be more than compensated by improved traffic flow and some additional parking when the project is complete.

Pit Row is not the only project that has battled the elements.  Here is a picture of the work on the seating bowl that continued during the February blizzards earlier this year.  Again, the new seats and drainage trenches had to be installed by Opening Day.  Neither rain, nor snow, nor other meterological surprises could stop the work.

And it didn't.  Additional work on the seating bowl has continued this off season, and we can guarantee you, it will be finished no matter what Mother Nature throws at us this year.  (Hard to top last year, Mom.)

So while we all look forward to the wonderful experiences we have at Camden Yards, (and will have at the Baltimore Grand Prix over Labor Day,)  take a moment to appreciate what goes into keeping our facilities the best of the best. 

Even if it occasionally sounds like a woodpecker on steroids outside your window.

Vrooming up Russell Street

Terry and I were ambling towards our favorite haunt beyond center field late yesterday afternoon.  The streets were nearly deserted as we crossed Russell Street, as most folks already checked out for the holidays.

Out of nowhere a car careened around the corner, creating a bit of excitement.

"I think the Grand Prix is underway," Terry quipped as we dashed across the median.  Terry had good reason to think so, based on the good news he'd just heard.

Hard to believe, but in a few short months that median will be covered with grandstands.  And, as Terry shared with me when we were safely seated in our watering hole, those grandstands are well on their way to being filled.  Phones were ringing even as we sipped our holiday cheer.

Here's what he heard from organizers:  after two initial online offerings, more than 20,000 tickets for the Labor Day "Festival of Speed" have been sold.  Spectators will be coming from all over the country. To date, tickets have been sold in thirty three states and Puerto Rico.  These include every Eastern Seaboard state from Maine to Florida, and across the country to include most of the Midwest and the entire West Coast.

While the IZOD and BRD folks are gratified, you know the hotels and restaurants must be doing handsprings.  This kind of response indicates a diverse, affluent visitor that will be encamped locally for several days.  Much as we love the home crowds, it's those out of staters who really get the economy jumping.

This is the kind of news that energizes everyone.  Gives us one more good thing to look forward to in the New Year.  Even those jackhammers under my window are beginning to sound like jingle bells.  Or cash registers.

Don't get left in the dust.  Get your tickets now.

Diving Well

If you're like me, you hear those two words as a gerund and adverb.  A description that might be used for the athlete in this picture. 

But not when Terry is describing why Maryland, and specifically Montgomery County, is positioned to attract many more scholastic and amateur aquatic competitions.  For in Terry-speak, diving well is a present participle and noun.  It is a specialized facility within a natatorium, and Maryland has some of the best.

When Terry called from his recent treasure hunt, he gave me a quick tutorial on an amazing public venue in Montgomery County I knew nothing about.  The Germantown Indoor Swim Center, located near the SoccerPlex in Boyds, is operated by the Montgomery County Department of Recreation.  Completed in 2006, it has already hosted a national diving competition and several regional swimming meets.  But the state-of-the-art facility was designed to accommodate recreational swimmers, senior citizens, children and families as well as swim teams.

Approximately 60,000 square feet in size, the swim center has a competition pool, a recreation pool, and a leisure pool, as well as two separate hydrotherapy pools.

It also has two serpentine water slides, suspended 35 feet above the interactive leisure swimming area.

What caught Terry's attention was the diving well.  This consists of two 1-meter springboards, two 3-meter springboards, and the platforms of 5, 7, and 10 meters.

It also has things like a bubbler system, a trampoline, and a dryland training area.

In short, the Germantown facility is diving nirvana.

 As you can see from these pictures, the height and the lighting in this swim park make it spacious as well as accommodating for crowds.  It is divided into sections that allow multiple uses to take place at the same time.

Naturally, Terry was touting all these attractions to the tournament groups who plan their national competitions years in advance. 

Despite its relatively recent appearance on the swim scene, this gem of a facility is pretty well known in water world.  (which means people who know that a diving well is a place and not a score.)

Anyway, I need to express my envy of the good folks in Montgomery County who have access to this beautiful facility as a quality of life amenity.  There was certainly nothing like this when I was lifeguarding in Laurel.

No Reindeer Required

You never know what you're going to see on Ravens Walk.  As the band filed through the festive crowd yesterday, one of the Saints fans said it reminded him of Mardi Gras.

But this little trinket, wrapped nicely with a Christmas bow, didn't look like anything you'd see on Bourbon Street.  More than a few onlookers said they'd like to find it under their tree.

While that probably isn't possible, there is always the next best thing --- tickets to the 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix.  Which is just what this vendor was encouraging fans to do.

After so many weeks of behind the scenes activity, the Labor Day event is all over the airwaves now that tickets are available.  Folks streaming across the construction on Lee Street could see how the work is incorporated into the race by studying the exhibit on display with the car.

With these visuals, the layout is easier to understand.  Instead of a mere concept, the event is a reality -- and coming soon to Camden Yards.

It was only a few months ago we were gathered at the Convention Center for the official announcement of the race.  Now, you can hear the buzz all over town (not to mention the din under Bin 400)  If you haven't reserved your tickets, now is a good time to do so.   The good seats are going fast.

As our friends on Ravens Walk reminded us -- tickets make a great gift idea.  And they're easy to wrap (or stuff in a stocking.)

Peeling out of the Gate

Despite the white-out from the cold, snowy weather, tickets went on sale as promised for the Labor Day Weekend running of the Baltimore Grand Prix.

As we mentioned in an earlier post, limited sales to Checked Flag Club members raised over $600,000 in just two hours.  That's a pretty good barometer of the interest level in this event.

The gates opened at 10:00 AM (EST) this morning and there is already a rush.

The inaugural event will include two headline races from the IZOD IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series, as well as full three-day festival of music, food and fun.  Organizers like to refer to the weekent as a "Festival of Speed" for the many activities it will feature.

Of course, the weather outside makes holiday shopping more challenging, so the timing couldn't be better.  With only eight more days before Christmas, buying a set of Grand Prix tickets as a stuffing stuffer has great appeal.

Fans have a variety of ticket options to choose from. Both grounds admission and reserved grandstand tickets are available, as single-day or three-day tickets. Reserved grandstand tickets will offer fans a guaranteed seat for the races on Saturday and Sunday as well as the best view of the action at key locations around the track.

Single day reserved tickets start at $65, while 3-day reserved tickets range from $130 - $160.

(No, I'm not renting space in Bin 400, although it has to be one of the best views in the city.)

Grounds admission tickets start at $20 for Friday, representing the most economical way for fans to enjoy the event and take in the sights and sounds of the Grand Prix. On Friday, most grandstands will be general admission seating, allowing grounds admission ticket holders the opportunity to see racecars traveling at more than 180 m.p.h. during practice and qualifying on the streets of Baltimore for only $20.

After racing is over on Friday, fans will be treated to an evening headliner free to all ticket holders. Details regarding the concert will be announced at a later date.

Saturday will feature qualifying for the IZOD IndyCar Series, and the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patron will take center stage for an afternoon race. On Sunday, the Grand Prix will culminate with the IZOD IndyCar Series race.

A variety of activities will take place in three entertainment zones throughout the infield area: the Family Fun Zone, the Action Sports Zone (that's in Camden Yards), and the Party Zone.

Fans will be treated to live local music throughout the weekend, major concerts at night, excellent food, beer gardens, interactive exhibits, and entertainment ranging from professional beach volley ball to extreme sports demonstrations.

Grandstands for the event will be located throughout the planned two-mile racetrack around Baltimore's Inner Harbor and will be strategically placed to give fans views of the fastest and most action-packed areas of the track. Most grandstands are available for either three-day or single-day tickets, but the best grandstands are available only to three-day ticket buyers.

The Grand Prix will be offering paddock passes as single day and three-day passes. These tickets do not provide admittance into the Grand Prix, but allow fans special access to one of the most exciting areas at the Grand Prix: the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights paddocks.  These will be located in the Baltimore Convention Center, which lies within the course.   Paddock passes will give fans a chance to see the race teams and drivers at work up close in an air-conditioned environment.

A variety of corporate hospitality options are also available, including Turn 1 Suites, Pit Lane Suites, Terrace Chalets, Harborside Village, and Trackside Patios. Fans wanting to purchase individual tickets with a little more luxury will be interested in the Grand Prix Club and also the VIP Balcony Club, which gives fans air-conditioned comfort and an excellent view from a balcony at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Tickets are available online or by phone at 877-4-FLY-TIX.

If you're tired of snow already, order those tickets.  It's a pretty safe bet you won't be dealing with the white stuff over Labor Day.

The Match Game

Terry sends his greetings from the US Sports Congress, where his dance card is already filled.  He has some auspicious meetings, and wants us to know the hot prospects he will be courting while at the conference.  They run the gamut, including US Olympic qualifiers, collegiate governing bodies, AAU events, sports tours, and even media representatives.

Here they are, in no particular order:

US Olympic Committee, Extreme Volleyball, USA Track & Field, Swimming, Diving, Synchro, Wrestling, Judo, Weightlifting, Fencing and Badminton;

ESPN Rise, Youth Basketball and Golf.  Speed Stacking and Disc Golf.  And the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Terry is going to be very, very busy for the next few days, but he'll come home with some important leads for members of TEAM Maryland throughout the state.

Making a List, Checking it Twice

I saw Terry before he took off on another treasure hunt. The US Sports Congress is the motherload of amateur sports conferences where rights-holders, governing bodies, corporate sponsors and event planners are assembled and matched for one-to-one face time.


To me, it sounds like a speed dating exercise or singles weekend at Grossinger's, but it works very well for bonhomme Terry, master networker. Last year he came home with a ton of business cards, new best friends, and the lead that blossomed to fruition when Maryland landed the 2013 Mid Atlantic Youth Soccer Tournament.

I asked Terry who he had in his cross hairs this year and he confessed he hadn't compiled his wish list yet with so many other things going on here in Maryland. Given the season, I could just imagine him thumbing through the catalogue late at night, eyeing the hottest prospects, most sparkling gems, and figuring which of TEAM Maryland's good little boys and girls would like to find that in their stocking this year.

So while he'd rather be home with his family during the holiday season, Terry will instead be playing Santa in Sanibel, schmoozing with elves, shopping for the best deals and selling Maryland to eager buyers.

Roaring to the Ticket Window

The flag had barely dropped when fingers started flying over keyboards around the country. Tickets for the 2011 Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix went on limited sale December 8th . Early supporters of the race, known as the Checkered Flag Club, had first crack at all selections. They were quick to take advantage.


Race promoters were astonished at the number and levels of tickets sold. In all, more than $600,000 of tickets were snapped up in two hours during this abbreviated offering. It was a rousing vote of confidence for the widespread appeal of this event.

Tickets to the general public will open December 16th. Given the early rush at the box office, it might be advisable to tuck a few of these away in someone's Christmas stocking. By Labor Day, it might be standing room only.

(Observation opportunities in Bin 400 are also limited, as I've been reminding my sons for months.)

You'll find a dynamic layout of the course, festival, and all the amenities around it by clicking this interactive feature on the Baltimore Grand Prix website. This shows you were the grandstands, sponsoring hotels, paddocks, and action zones will all be located (with no sign of the jackhammers, backhoes, or hardhats currently on the site.)

From there you can access the ticket sale feature.

Start counting down the days until you can buy YOUR tickets. Then you can go out and cheer for the Pratt Street Pavers with renewed gusto. Maybe even wave a flag or two. We're all doing our part to make this event a fabulous success.

Happy Birthday, Wisp !!!

Lest you think Mother Nature deposited all her white stuff in Buffalo, fear not.  Maryland's only ski resort (and four season recreational facility) was gifted with over a foot in the past several days -- just in time to start their season and celebrate their 55 years in business.

Wisp Resort, overlooking Deep Creek Lake in McHenry, had its humble beginnings in the winter of 1955-56.  That year, there was one slope and a tow rope.  Since then, Wisp has grown to 132 acres of ski terrain.  And in addition to the best state of the art snowmaking equipment, it averages 100 inches of the free stuff a year.

The birthday celebration on December 12 -13 features steeply discounted lift tickets, half-price rental equipment and group lessons, and family entertainment.  Plus some celebratory birthday cake from the renown Charm City bakery.

If you haven't been to Wisp in a while, this is a good time to check out all the new features. Since 2001, Wisp has added more than $40 million in improvements, renovations and additions.  That includes ten new trails on the North Camp in 2005, the Mountain Coaster in '07 and the Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour and Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Club this year.

Future plans include more ski and snowboard amenities, a mountaintop village, retail shops, and restaurants.

Wisp (and Western Maryland) are the year-round playground of our state.  Be sure to check with Mountainside Maryland to see what else is going on in this exciting region.

Win-Win-Win

Hard to believe, but nine months from now the inaugural 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix will highlight a "Festival of Speed" over Labor Day weekend.  This includes Indy Car and American Le Mans races through the streets of downtown, along with numerous family-oriented activities and attractions in the race village within the course.

Like most highly anticipated births, this blessed event comes with some pains early in its gestation.  Instead of morning sickness and heartburn, we're dealing with road construction during rush hour and utility replacement in pedestrian thoroughfares.

Here in Camden Yards, the epicenter of race activities, this translates into closed parking lots, redirected traffic, disappearing curbs, and a lot of jackhammers.  

But the momentary discomfort is forgotten when weighed against all the improvements this project brings to our facility.  The result will be a win-win-win for many years to come.

First, the aesthetics.  Camden Yards has changed greatly over the past twenty years, evolving from a gritty industrial park into a vibrant entertainment complex, visitor attraction and transit center.  However, the east side of the Warehouse -- corridor to the Inner Harbor -- has experienced very little since it was surrounded by a sea of asphalt in 1992.  Since then, the expanded Convention Center borders us on the northeast, the Hilton Baltimore looms over our north, Camden Station has developed into a museum site and popular catering facility, and the light rail/MARC station has more than doubled in use. Thousands of visitors enter Baltimore via this route every week.

What was once the back door to the ballpark is now a major gateway, and it could use more than a little makeover.  Cosmetic surgery is neither painless nor cheap (take it from one who knows) but the cost of this facelift is more than offset by its contributions to our complex.

From this course diagram you can the focus on the east approach to the Warehouse, where cars will enter after zooming down Conway.  After crossing Howard they will either turn left and continue to the end of the Warehouse, or turn right to pull into Pit Row alongside it.

This is a rendering of how the course alongside the Warehouse will look, with Pit Row being the lane closest to the building.  The barriers are temporary structures that will be removed after the race so it can be reclaimed for parking duties.  One of the benefits of this reconstruction is having the entire stretch resurfaced.  It will also be reconfigured to give an extra lane for bus parking during major events.

But the real aesthetic and environmental improvements to our campus can be seen in this rendering, which gives a panoramic view of the entrance.  Notice the pedestrian plaza, with its planters, trees, benches and lighting.  This is complemented by the planters edging the Warehouse and inside the two new traffic circles that will facilite vehicular flow.  This represents a major improvement to the sports complex and also the MARC and light rail stations. 

The large concrete recepticle being unloaded by the crane in the top picture will hold 7,000 gallons of water, which will be captured from stormwater runoff and reused to irrigate the new planters.

So out of our involvement with the Baltimore Grand Prix, we get a new look for our east entrance, hundreds of trees, shrubs and flowers, a resurfaced parking facility, and a highly profitable event showcasing our facility to visitors and viewers all over the world.

Win-Win-Win.  For this, we can listen to a chorus of jackhammers a little longer.

A Winner's Week

We won't deny our disappointment over losing a chance to host a future (albeit way, way in the future) World Cup tournament. Not even Domino could sugarcoat that pill, so let's focus on all the positives gained from a valuable experience, and celebrate the more immediate goals scored by the Office of Sports Marketing this week.

First of all, the gathering at Slainte's. Many thanks to our new friends in the sacristy of soccer (where early morning worshippers were already taking communion when we arrived.)  This veritable cathedral for kickers was the perfect setting in decor and spirit.

Slainte's very generously opened their establishment at 5:00 AM to accommodate the daybreak news teams. If you didn't catch the interview with Kevin Healey (godfather of all that is soccer in Baltimore) it was more energizing than espresso.

When the delegation from MSA posted at 9:00AM, the place was already overrun with cameras, reporters, fans, and soccer operatives from all over the state. The assemblage, which also included our teammates, the Ravens, was a tribute to the outreach, networking, and partnerships that coalesced into a remarkable show of support over the 18 months of this process.

While the announcement was delayed, Terry had the opportunity to share his thoughts about the recognition Maryland had already gained with the press and those who helped on the bid. This continued even after the disappointing news the US would not be hosting, because at that point the conversation changed to what soccer events ARE coming to Baltimore.

Among them -- another international match at M&T this summer, was greeted with great enthusiasm by the Slainte regulars, who attend en masse after evening vespers.

While Terry could probably have talked all day about soccer's bright future in Maryland (Marie Lankford of Maryland Youth Soccer and Matthew Libber of Elite Tournaments represented the growing popularity of the sport) he and his track team had to hit the cinders for Virginia Beach. There, the USA Track and Field Federation would be hearing presentations to host future tournaments.

We can only imagine how exhausting this road trip was after all the drama, but Team Terry must have exploded with a burst of energy just before the finish line.

We heard Friday morning that the Prince George's County's Sports Complex had been awarded the 2013 USAFT Masters Indoor tournament. And by close of business, he emailed that Morgan State won the 2012 outdoor USATF Junior Olympics.

Needless to say, these Team Maryland partners are elated with revenue producing events that enhance the visibility of their facilities. Here are a few particulars about these tournaments and what they produce:

The USAFT Masters draws approximately 1,500 athletes who are 50+ years of age for an indoor track meet that lasts over three days.  It is projected to generate revenues of $800,000 to $1.2 million over the long weekend.

The USATF Junior Olympics youth tournament brings 7,000 athletes from all over the country, along with friends and family, for five days.  Its economic impact is estimated at $3.5 million.

So, as demanding as this week was for Team Terry and their many partners and associates around the state, it was rewarding for the achievements and recognition it brought to the office of Sports Marketing.

Now if only the Ravens can come through for us tomorrow night . . .