Under Armour Founder To Take Over Baltimore Water Taxis
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank is getting into the boating industry.
Plank's Sagamore Ventures firm--which has recently branched into racing, real estate and whisky-- is set to acquire the company that operates Baltimore's water taxis, Harbor Boating, Inc., according to a Tuesday news release.
The deal will include new, "environmentally and operationally state-of-the-art boats," extended commuter hours, and new stops and routes, including to Port Convington and Cherry Hill.
"The first new boat will be in service later this year, custom-built in Baltimore by MAPC, a maritime design and manufacturing company located near the South Baltimore neighborhood of Brooklyn that will hire 30 new welders and craftsmen thanks to this deal," according to the release.
The boats will be 55 feet long, bike-friendly, and modeled on the classic Chesapeake Bay deadrise. They will also feature electric/hybrid diesel engines and WiFi.
"He's thinking long term how to make Baltimore a city that functions that's more vibrant," says Michael Evitts, with Downtown Partnership. "He sees the water taxi as an important connector and we agree."
"Sagamore Ventures is a dream partner for us," said Michael McDaniel, president of Harbor Boats. "This is an incredible new chapter for the Baltimore Water Taxi."
The connection will also include a collaboration with Uber to help computers track arrival times and eventually request water taxis on-demand.
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