Baltimore has reinvented itself several times over the past few decades. Each time, it has gained attention as an important destination for business travelers.
“Baltimore’s skyline is currently dotted by construction cranes that are assembling new developments to completely transform its horizon,” says Al Hutchinson president and CEO of Visit Baltimore, the city’s CVB.
One of the newest projects is Port Covington, expected to bring 4 million sq. ft. of development to the city, Hutchinson reports. It will include offices, retail space, restaurants and a new campus for Under Armour, a multibillion-dollar sportswear company.
Another redevelopment project is Harbor Point, located on Baltimore’s waterfront. The former industrial complex is being transformed into a mixed-use project featuring an array of offices, residential units, retail space and a hotel.
Tradepoint Atlantic, previously the home of Baltimore’s historic Bethlehem Steel, will soon become an international transportation hub and epicenter for trade and commerce.
Among the city’s newest luxury hotels, Hutchinson points to The Pendry, which embodies the rich history of the Fell’s Point waterfront area.
“Plank’s Sagamore Development [spearheaded] The Pendry hotel, which transformed a historic 200-year old pier in Baltimore’s Fell’s Point neighborhood into a luxurious 128-room property—the brand’s first East Coast location,” Hutchinson says.
For small meetings, The Pendry hotel’s Price and Parsons conference rooms each offer 552 sq. ft. of meeting space. The elegant 4,565-square-foot Sangamore Ballroom—with its 35-foot ceilings—provides various seating configurations, from classroom style to banquet.
For intimate events and an eclectic taste of Baltimore, meeting planners can reserve the hotel’s Rec Pier Chop House, which offers classic-Italian cuisine, purebred beef cuts and fresh seafood.
“While the city [Baltimore] will always be known for its fresh crabs and Chesapeake specialties, a melting pot of cultural flavors has emerged alongside a growing craft beer and cocktail scene,” Hutchinson says.
