THE BALTIMORE Ravens have flown from their summer nest at Western Maryland College, but there's good reason for them to return next year.
Six training camps at the campus in Westminster scored huge benefits for the pro football team and for the greater Baltimore community.
Fan attendance during the four weeks of training camp was 111,000 -- nearly three times last year's total. The Super Bowl championship was expected to increase this season's visitor count, but no one predicted the quantum leap.
By all accounts, the college and the town handled the extra traffic well. Extra parking lots and security staff were in place, and the shuttle bus from Town Mall parking lot operated efficiently for the Fan Day mock game that drew almost 12,000 spectators.
Westminster merchants noticed an increase in business. Downtown restaurants even saw players coming in for a meal, something they had missed in previous years. The local economic impact is hard to gauge, but this year's Ravens camp should reap about $1 million for the area, according to Carroll County officials.
The WMC location is also important for the team. It's close to the Baltimore fan base, which helps to build training session attendance and interest. Yet it's far enough away to give the team a small-town, campus setting. And use of the college-owned hotel instead of dormitories is an amenity that the players and coaches appreciate.
The first year of the Ravens camp at WMC in 1996 had practices that drew just a couple dozen fans. This time, an average day had more than 3,000 spectators. The team and the fans have found a comfortable site at Western Maryland College. That's a winning tradition that should be maintained.
