Skift Take
For years, Baltimore has been portrayed on television and other media outlets as a city that's down on its luck. But a close look at what's happening in terms of investment in the city's luxury space reveals another side of the story.
Can a luxury hotel – or two, or three – change a city’s image?
While only 38 miles from Washington, D.C., Baltimore is a world away. The small city is frequently described as blue-collar and gritty, thanks in part to the impact of television shows like Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire. It also doesn't help that in recent years, national news coverage of the city’s ills has been quite extensive.
That said, other cities with similar issues have overcome less-than-stellar perceptions. Pittsburgh’s business community turned the Steel City’s image around in the latter part of the 20th century. In more recent years, Detroit is a prime example of how good public relations and community involvement can change a city’s image from horrific to hip.
But can a city’s hotel industry be the driving force behind a renaissance? Baltimore could be a test case. Until recently, the idea that Baltimore could sustain one five-star hotel may have seemed crazy. That it presently sports three may seem absurd on the face of it...until you dig deeper. After all, Baltimore is the home of Johns Hopkins, a world-class medical facility that draws in me
