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Grand Prix Makes Baltimore A Top Destination For Labor Day Weekend

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- In just a week and a half, the Grand Prix will zoom into town.  The event will shine a national spotlight on Charm City.

Gigi Barnett reports it's already raised the city's ranking as one of the best summer destinations.

When the Baltimore Grand Prix rolls into town, it will bring thousands of visitors with it. The numbers are so high that Charm City recently made a top 25 list of best places to visit Labor Day weekend.

"Priceline took a look at where people are booking their vacations and hotel rooms for the Labor Day holiday and they named their top 50 markets for the Labor Day travel and Baltimore was number 21," said Mike Evitts, Baltimore Downtown Partnership.

It's a list that will draw millions of dollars that weekend, too.

"That's not normally what we'd expect to see in downtown Baltimore or Baltimore City during Labor Day so we're expecting a huge economic impact," said Evitts.

Priceline's list places Baltimore on par with other popular places like Las Vegas and New York.

"It's cool being here.  It's fun and you always have something different to do," said Andrea Favarelli.

Evitts says a big plus for Baltimore businesses and hotels is that the Grand Prix's two-mile course zooms right past some of Baltimore's hottest spots, like the Inner Harbor and Camden Yards.  He says hotels are already seeing the boost.

"Hotel business has picked up in the last few weeks," he said.  "A lot, if not most, hotels in the downtown area are booked for Friday and Saturday night."

The odds that Baltimore will stay on Priceline's top 50 Labor Day destinations list are probably pretty good, thanks to the five-year contract the Grand Prix has with the city.

The Grand Prix rolls into Charm City on Sept. 2 and ends on Sept. 4.

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