Mayor Pugh Fighting To Keep The Preakness at Pimlico
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- A legislative fight to keep the Preakness in Baltimore is at the starting gate.
Mayor Pugh led a rally in support of a bill to advance a plan to rebuild Pimlico.
"This is a jewel for our city," Pugh said. "It is an economic generator. It is a part of our history. So we're saying, with this piece of legislation, let us come back to the table."
She testified in a House Committee Friday on a bill to move forward with the Maryland Stadium Authority to rebuild the racetrack as part of a multi-million dollar mixed-use development.
Pugh has the stamp of approval from the Baltimore Development Corporation, which puts an economic impact of $50 million a year toward the rebuild.
"One of the key elements is if the Preakness were to move to Laurel from Pimlico, that impact shifts to D.C.," William Cole, of the Baltimore Development Corporation, said. "So that state loses, too."
For 149 years, the bugler has played the First Call to rally horses and riders to the starting gate for the second jewel in the Triple Crown, the Preakness at Pimlico.
Now, the owners of the race course are signaling a move to Laurel, where they've invested more money and are asking the state for additional race track dollars.
"You don't hear Kentucky talking about moving the Kentucky Derby out of Louisville," Pugh said.
There will be another rally and Senate hearing March 6.
Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
