SB 672 — Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Authority (Maryland) — Summary
Status
- Enacted: Signed by Governor (June 20, 2025). Effective date: September 1, 2025.
- Origin: Introduced by Senator M. Washington (By Request – Baltimore City Administration); companion HB 1016.
- Key deadlines: Task force must report funding recommendations by December 1, 2025; task force termination extended to June 30, 2026.
Purpose / Intent
- Implement recommendations from the 2024 study on the Baltimore Convention site by (1) creating a statutory framework for a new Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Authority (BCTROA) and (2) directing the existing task force to identify funding sources and mechanisms to renovate, revitalize, and operate the Baltimore Convention site and surrounding area and to establish/sustain BCTROA operations.
Key provisions
- Establishes the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Authority in statute (new Subtitle 12 of Article — Economic Development).
- Governance and composition: multi‑member board including appointments by the Mayor, Governor (with Senate advice & consent), President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, and industry associations (hotel, restaurant); mayor designates the board chair from mayoral appointees. Terms are 4 years and staggered; members serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses.
- Authority powers: determine character of renovation/revitalization/development projects; enter leases, partnerships, contracts; acquire/operate authority‑owned or controlled real property; set and collect rates, rents, fees; hire staff, contractors, consultants, legal and financial advisers; promulgate rules and carry out marketing/operations functions for the convention site and Baltimore as a tourist destination.
- Task force revisions: requires the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Authority Task Force to specifically identify funding sources and mechanisms to (a) redevelop the Baltimore Convention site and immediate surroundings and (b) establish and sustain BCTROA operations; extends the task force’s lifespan to June 30, 2026; requires the task force to report findings and recommendations to the Mayor, Governor, and General Assembly by December 1, 2025.
Who is affected
- Baltimore City government, hospitality and tourism industry (hotels, restaurants, convention services), local businesses and property owners around the convention site, State agencies involved in economic development and financing, and potentially Maryland taxpayers depending on funding adopted.
- Existing authorities with roles in convention center finance/operations (e.g., Maryland Stadium Authority) would be stakeholders during transition and funding decisions.
Fiscal and operational impact
- Department of Legislative Services fiscal note: no state fiscal effect in FY2025; estimated one‑time general fund increase of approx. $350,000 in FY2026 to support Department of Commerce hiring consultants to complete the study; ongoing local government and small‑business impacts are described as minimal.
- The bill directs the task force to identify funding mechanisms (e.g., public financing, fees, taxes, naming rights, partnerships) but does not itself authorize specific expenditures or revenue sources for construction or long‑term operations.
Procedural notes
- The bill builds on Chapter 635 (2024), which created the initial task force and produced an earlier report recommending a joint authority structure. SB 672 both codifies an authority framework and requires more detailed funding analysis and implementation planning by the task force prior to authority implementation.
