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Group Wants To Make Inner Harbor More Popular

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore's Inner Harbor is well-known across the country, but there's a push to use rides and attractions to make it even more popular.

Jessica Kartalija has details of the plan.

Jay Brody, president of the Baltimore Development Corporation, is looking for fresh ideas, asking developers to submit proposals to add outdoor attractions along the harbor's west shore, south shore and north shore.

"We are looking for younger people, a younger demographic who hasn't been back to the harbor recently because they don't know what's new," Brody said.  "It's sad in the Inner Harbor; you just see box restaurants that shut down at 10 p.m.  Young people want good nightlife."

Brody says ideas include zip lines and climbing walls, activities taking the place of the ESPN Zone that has been closed for more than eight months.

"If there were more outdoor activities to take the kids to, we definitely would participate in that," said Jessica Peters.

While many of the ideas seem to target teens or young adults, families who live in the Inner Harbor area say they'd like to see more attractions that target young children.

"I think something that deals with more family-oriented children's attractions always brings more people in," said Quintece Hill-Mattauszek.

"The carousel being revitalized; it's rickety.  I heard a train ride.  Anything geared toward children from zero to five to eight, to 10," said Judy O'Brien, Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance.

The Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance is an organization that promotes family life in Baltimore City.  O'Brien, its president, says new ideas are exactly what the harbor needs.

"The Inner Harbor is our backyard.  We don't have backyards.  We use parks and the Inner Harbor and green space and we need to continue to make more attractions," she said.

About 15 million people visit the Inner Harbor every year.

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