Sarasota News Leader
March 15, 2013
Haley also pointed to the partnership between
the Baltimore Orioles and Visit Sarasota County, an element of the agreement the county
signed with the team to bring it to Sarasota
for spring training.
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"So you can really see [the agreement] paying
off."
The January economic data from the county showed gross sales for hotels and motels
up 23.3 percent compared to the figure in the
The TV and ballpark advertising in Baltimore same month of 2012: $28.36 million versus
and its environs "has been a real boon to us," $22.99 million.
Haley said, adding that she and her staff have Yet another boost for Sarasota came through
noticed not only a big increase in the number internationally known aerialist Nik Wallenda's
of people from that metropolitan area check- high-wire walk across the bayfront on Jan. 29.
ing out the Visit Sarasota County website but Mayor Suzanne Atwell told the City Commisalso in the number coming to this community. sion audience on March 4 that Haley had let
A full house at Ed Smith Stadium watches the Baltimore Orioles take on the New York Yankees in
late February. Photo by Norman Schimmel`