Hi Kim. First, I would like to compliment you on even ASKING. I don't recall any other agency ever posing a question like this to us. It's ironic that you ask this question because I was thinking about conducting an informal poll of my fellow teammates here concerning EXACTLY this topic. Frankly, I'm glad to see that you have beaten me to it, because that shows that at least one touring agency CARES and wants to know. I hope the others will be viewing this thread that you started as well.
I'm a lifelong Bal'mer guy, born and raised. When I was younger, I worked in Baltimore City. If I did now, I might like the convenience of just walking to a hotel (during the work day). However, for most of my career, I have worked in the Baltimore 'burbs or the Maryland DC 'burbs. I think it is increasingly the case that the center cities are no longer where the majority of the jobs are. IMHO, if you don't work in a city, why be bothered with driving into it with all the traffic hassles and delays, the crime, and the parking hassles and expense? Even if one DOES work in the city, I don't think they would want to go into it for their hobbying at night. Hence, I don't particularly care for the fact that most of the touring agencies use hotels in the downtown areas of Baltimore and DC.
From the standpoint of the majority of the customers (myself included), I think the answer to this question should be a "no brainer". Clearly the BWI area would be the overall winner. Actually it's a little further from where I live than downtown is. However, there is NO hassle comparison. Over the years, all the major hotel chains have built large facilities (some chains more than one) in the BWI-Linthicum area. Most are located in a complex of hotels which has been developed there.
Now as for the girls, I would tend to presume that after a busy day, they are not exactly in the partying mood at night, anyway. This is not to mention that oftentimes appointments are scheduled for the late evening and night hours. Even if the gals desired some spare time recreation, I would think it would still work at BWI even though the immediate area doesn't have that much (there are fast foods, a few good restaurants, and a multiple cinema complex). However, the hotels at BWI are significantly cheaper than downtown. Hence, the gals could easily use their expense savings to rent a car and get wherever they wanted, and not have any driving or parking hassles.
Cheaper and less hassle on the customers and the gals. Less crime. Better central geography for our metropolitan area. Gads, if I want to go to Harbor Place, I can go to Harbor Place.
If I want to hobby, let me hobby at the most convenient place. I don't really need to do BOTH at the same time.
Hope this helps Kim. I'd love to see more touring at the BWI area.
o most guys like BWI AREA or Inner Harbor for apt.'s ?
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