{"id":11452175,"date":"2025-05-17T19:55:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-17T23:55:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/?p=11452175"},"modified":"2025-05-18T14:31:39","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T18:31:39","slug":"preakness-gov-wes-moore-guests-pimlico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/2025\/05\/17\/preakness-gov-wes-moore-guests-pimlico\/","title":{"rendered":"Preakness 2025: Gov. Wes Moore, other Maryland politicians meet with hundreds at Pimlico"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celebrating the final moments<\/a> at a dilapidated venue that they helped push from a years-long redevelopment rut to a $500 million reimagining of Maryland\u2019s premier horse racing attraction<\/a>, Maryland politicians showed up Saturday for an annual mix of politicking and sporting at the 150th Preakness Stakes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are excited about what the future is going to hold,\u201d Gov. Wes Moore said inside the track at Pimlico Race Course about an hour before the main event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe state has made a historic investment in ensuring that we can not just have a future for Pimlico, but a prosperous future for Park Heights as well. And now we just make sure we execute,\u201d said Moore, a Democrat.<\/p>\n

Moore and other Maryland officials who\u2019ve supported the state\u2019s nearly shovel-ready plan<\/a> to tear down Pimlico and rebuild it were among the spectators who made the annual pilgrimage<\/a> to the storied site\u2019s \u201cinner circle\u201d Saturday.<\/p>\n

Hundreds of guests filtered in and out of adjoining tents hosted by the Maryland Department of Commerce and the Democratic Governors Association \u2014 one being a gathering sponsored by taxpayers to the tune of roughly $200,000 every year, and the other was a fundraiser for the national group looking to elect governors like Moore.<\/p>\n

Officials say the state tent \u2014 like the redevelopment plans \u2014 is an economic development tool to entice more investments in the state.<\/p>\n

Catered with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, the tents are usually adjacent to each other with a clear view of the finish line \u2014 though this year they were in a different location nearby the exclusive chalet, where Aston Martin cars sat on display in the grass and VIPs sipped champagne and cocktails in Adirondack chairs and on a deck overlooking the winner\u2019s circle.<\/p>\n

The new spot inside the \u201cinner circle\u201d also meant a less direct view of the finish line, making Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and others exit in order to view the twice-hourly races up close.<\/p>\n

Other officials who stopped by included U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski Jr., Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and several state lawmakers. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott \u2014 moving with a large crowd \u2014 stopped to take multiple selfies along the way in the same spot that Baltimore native and NBA hall-of-famer Carmelo Anthony did the same a few hours later.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s another day where Baltimore and Maryland [are] highlighted, not just locally, but nationally,\u201d Olszewski said. \u201cIt\u2019s just really exciting to see so many people taking in the day, celebrating another great Baltimore tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n