Sports Legends at Camden Yards in Baltimore City is packed with interactive programming, sports memorabilia and family-friendly events, including meet-and-greets with sports stars.
Throughout Maryland and the nation, those elements lead to top tourism numbers, yet attendance at Sports Legends fell 10 percent between 2005 and 2006.
“Orioles attendance has fallen to the bottom,” said Sports Legends Executive Director Michael Gibbons, who also oversees the Babe Ruth Historic Birthplace. “The Orioles lose about 1.6 millions fans annually, and assuming that 2 to 3 percent of those fans make their way to our buildings, that is part of the reason for our drop.”
But Maryland and Baltimore tourism insiders attribute the drop at Sports Legends and other well-heeled Baltimore Citytourist destinations to the city?s high crime rate.
“It?s the 600-pound elephant in the room that no one wants to mention,” said Steve Adler of the Maryland Tourism Development Board, about crime in the city. “When they talk about those problems, [they] are more of a Baltimore City problem than for the rest of the state. I can tell you on a personal level that my wife and I limit what we go to in Baltimore City. If we don?t feel safe, we won?t go.”
Fort McHenry National Monument and Shrine, three miles away from the center of the city, has seen almost no drop in attendance in the past year, Park Ranger Jim Rogers said.
Some of that is attributed to their location, which is convenient to the Inner Harbor but somewhat secluded.
“A lot of people come visit us by water taxi,” said Rogers. “We are located in a very secure area. Attendance has been very good, especially in the summer months.”
Adler remains optimistic.
“My experience shows that Maryland is holding its own on a national level, and overall [tourism attendance] is better than most,” he said.
