Business

The Washington County Department of Business and Economic Development is seeking input on how the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge may have impacted businesses in the community. Businesses can submit their names, contact information, details of any disruptions, damage or losses the business is experiencing as a result of the bridge collapse via email to Linda Spence, Business Specialist for the Department of Business and Economic Development at LSpence@WashCo-MD.net.

Greater Baltimore’s wealthiest resident in 2023 moved to Florida, and now his cousin and business partner is the region’s richest man. Billionaire Jim Davis of Cockeysville, 64, is worth $4.4 billion, according to Forbes’ 2024 World’s Billionaires List. At No. 712 on the list, that leaves Davis as the richest man in Greater Baltimore after his cousin — Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti — moved to Hobe Sound, Florida.

Two local craft beverage companies are joining forces to open an “all day and all night” concept in Timonium. Aveley Farms Coffee Roasters and Diamondback Brewing Company announced on Friday that they’re planning a venture that will be a mash-up of both: a roastery and café from Aveley and a brewery, taproom and pizza kitchen from Diamondback.

Five hundred businesses have applied for financial assistance stemming from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last week, the administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration announced Thursday. The SBA has deemed mid-Atlantic businesses impacted by the bridge collapse eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help overcome temporary loss of revenue from the collapse and Port of Baltimore’s closure to most maritime traffic.

The only bank based in Dundalk has launched two programs to help businesses and individuals affected by the tragedy that happened in its backyard. Tim Prindle, the CEO of Bay Vanguard Bank (Nasdaq: BVFL), said the bank will start offering no-interest lines of credit and will allow eligible loan recipients to skip some interest payments. He hopes the programs could help some customers, including longshoremen, and others who were affectedby the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The local bank joins federal and state agencies that are offering programs to help businesses impacted by the bridge collapse.

The only maritime shipping terminal currently operating in the Port of Baltimore is preparing to process an influx of ships as crews continue clearing the mangled wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. Tradepoint Atlantic will unload and process an estimated 10,000 vehicles over the next 15 days, according to a company statement.

The Baltimore Convention Center is about to get a multimillion-dollar face-lift. On Wednesday, the city’s spending board unanimously approved $25.7 million in state funds to tackle a number of projects at the facility. Lawmakers earmarked the money in a 2023 spending bill after the city-owned convention center flagged several pressing needs. They included sprucing up the bathrooms, modernizing the phone system, upgrading its lighting and renovating the “failing” bridges that span Charles Street.

As Maryland lawmakers consider a plan for the state to take ownership of the historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, another potential owner has entered the discussion: Churchill Downs. Churchill Downs Inc., the publicly traded parent company of the Louisville track that hosts the Kentucky Derby, has made an “overture” to buy Pimlico, home of the Preakness Stakes, according to two sources in the state capital familiar with the negotiations.