I was astounded to read, so soon after the riots in Baltimore, a suggestion in the Washington Post by sports writer Andrew Beyer to shut down Pimlico and move the Preakness closer to Washington. He feels that "Pimlico's neighborhood is inelegant, to say the least, with no restaurants, hotels or shops that a race track visitor likely would patronize." He suggests moving the Preakness and all of Maryland racing to Laurel Park.
At a time when cities like Baltimore so desperately need economic assistance from the business community to help rebuild neighborhoods and provide opportunities to people for work, Mr. Beyer arrogantly suggests it would be better to build a race track on the moon rather than in Baltimore. He further states that politics may prevent such a move due to the fact that "the Preakness is too important to Baltimore's image and economy for the city to lose its track without a fight."
How many hotels, restaurants does he believe the D.C. metropolitan visitor needs? Why not instead, do the right thing and assist Baltimore to get back on it's feet by investing in the historic Park Heights neighborhood?
Tom Kiniry, Fairfield, Pa.