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B M & T ••• July/August 2018 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 33 BALTIMORE CAN ACCOMMODATE ANY SIZE MEETING… BIG OR SMALL BY SOLOMON J. HERBERT II Baltimore has what conference atten- dees and leisure travelers alike are look- ing for..... top-notch hospitality, award winning restaurants, a booming nightlife and plenty of meeting facilities and ven- ues any meeting planner would dream of. Travelers can spend a weekend in National Harbor with its amazing nightlife, the spectacular Capital Wheel, riverside restaurants and fantastic shopping at the Tanger Outlets. From a central location to many exciting new developments, Baltimore has it all on the East Coast! Give this city the opportunity to host your next convention, meeting, tradeshow or social event and you'll find that is the ideal destination! Its central location at the crossroads of the Mid-Atlantic region makes it easy to get to by air, rail and highway. And once you are there, the city is easily walkable, or as the say- ing goes, "in Baltimore, you're just two feet away from everything." Nestled in the heart of downtown Baltimore, the newly renovated Balti- more Convention Center is the premier location in the Mid-Atlantic region for organizations wishing to host conven- tions, meetings, banquets and other activities. With 300,000 sq. ft. of contigu- ous exhibition space, approximately 85,000 sq. ft. of meeting space (50 rooms) and a multifunctional 36,672-sq. ft. ballroom, the Center is able to host a variety of events large and small. Linked by a series of overhead walkways to Baltimore's renowned Inner Harbor, hotels and fine dining, the Center offers attendees a wide variety of attractions, and meeting planners with an affordable prime destination. The Inner Harbor is Baltimore's heart, but its neighborhoods are its soul. The city's 92 square miles are divided among lively communities, each with a distinct personality – from the cobblestone-lined waterfront of Fell's Point to kitschy Hampden; historic Federal Hill to trendy Harbor East; the cultural hub of Mount Vernon to Canton, Pigtown and the Station North, Bromo Tower and Highlandtown arts and entertainment dis- tricts. The fast, free Charm City Circulator hybrid buses and the Balti- more Water Taxi make it easy to explore each diverse neighborhood. When time permits conference attendees might want to explore some of Baltimore's informative African- American historic sites and museums. Just a few blocks from the Inner Harbor is the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African Ameri- can History & Culture, the largest African American museum on the East Coast. The Lewis Museum shares the stories of African American Mary-lan- ders' triumph over adversity and their influence on American life. Hop aboard a water taxi and visit the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park & Museum. Within the walls of the restored "Sugar House," trace the path of one of America's most famous abolitionists – Frederick Douglass – who, along with Isaac Myers and 14 fellow African-Americans, started the first Black-owned shipyard in the United States. The Great Blacks in Wax Museum featuring prominent African-American historical figures is another must-see. The museum exhibits feature over 100 wax figures and scenes, a full model slave ship exhibit which portrays the 400- year history of the Atlantic Slave Trade, an exhibit on the role of youth in making history, and a Maryland room highlighting the contributions to A f r i c a n - American history by notable Mary- landers. If you are thinking about bringing your event to Baltimore, be sure to reach out to Al Hutchinson, president/CEO of Visit Baltimore. He and his team will make sure your event is a memorable one. The Baltimore/Washington Internatio- nal Thurgood Marshall Airport services the Baltimore/Washington DC area with 650 daily flights from 70 destinations. • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Hilton Baltimore 757 Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel (Marriott) 586 Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor 488 Embassy Suites Baltimore – Inner Harbor 303 Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore 256 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Baltimore Convention Center Total Exhibit Space: 300,000 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms: 50 Largest Ballroom 36,672 sq. ft. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Baltimore (877) Baltimore www.baltimore.org Greater Baltimore Black Chamber of Commerce http://www.greaterbaltimorechamber.com AREA GUIDES B A LT I M O R E Baltimore's city skyline and Inner Harbor Credit: Baltimore CC