AGP Executive Report

Preakness Shake-Up: Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Jockey Club announced a new 2027 Preakness schedule and media-rights partnership after the state acquired the race’s IP, moving the Preakness back one week to Sunday, May 23, 2027, and shifting the Black-Eyed Susan to Saturday, May 22—sparking fresh questions in the business community about how the Triple Crown’s future and “luster” will be protected. Higher Ed Funding Pressure: Maryland universities are facing shrinking federal research support while cloud and high-computing costs keep rising, with Johns Hopkins among those cutting staff as infrastructure must “change in parallel.” Workforce & Training: Bowie State University will launch a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence on campus in fall 2026, aiming to build a pipeline for AI talent across healthcare, cybersecurity, business and government. Public Safety Scams: The Maryland Judiciary warned of text scams tied to District Court traffic violations, urging residents not to click links or share personal or payment info. Local Business Resilience: Two young Anne Arundel County entrepreneurs are rebuilding after an alleged arson destroyed their roadside farm stand. Sports Business Watch: Kevin Gausman is expected to debut for the Cubs after the MLB trade deadline, with Clay Holmes also slated to join the rotation.

Preakness Stakes Deal & Schedule: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Jockey Club confirmed NBC Sports will keep broadcasting the Preakness through 2032, with the race moving to a week later in 2027 and running on a Sunday—part of a broader Triple Crown reshuffle that could reshape how the sport schedules and markets its biggest events. Triple Crown Shake-Up: Maryland also announced the Preakness will be run three weeks and a day after the Kentucky Derby in 2027, tightening the stretch to Belmont and adding pressure on owners and trainers as the sport experiments with a new championship-series format. Local Business Finance: Baltimore-based MarketWise reported Q2 2026 billings of $91.2M (+57% YoY) and raised FY guidance to $330M, signaling momentum in its investor tools and subscriptions. Health & Research: UMD named NCI pediatric oncologist Dr. Nirali N. Shah as director of its Pediatric/Adolescent and Young Adult Cell and Gene Therapy Program, aiming to expand translational research and patient care. Insurance Tech Expansion: American Growth Insurance, an AI-native brokerage network, acquired Baltimore’s Heller-Kowitz Insurance Advisors, keeping the local team while adding more tech and resources. Housing & Community: Habitat for Humanity of Washington County delivered a new affordable home in Hagerstown for a Marine veteran, supported by local foundations and a 0% mortgage model. Sports Prospects: The Orioles promoted Hanford native Juaron Watts-Brown to Triple-A Norfolk, putting him one step closer to the majors.

Horse Racing & State Policy: Maryland finalized major changes to the Preakness Stakes, moving it to Sundays starting in 2027 and shifting it to three weeks and a day after the Kentucky Derby, with the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes getting more Saturday exposure; officials say the goal is to boost participation and keep the event firmly under Maryland’s control after the state’s $85 million acquisition of Preakness IP rights. Local Economy & Utilities: Baltimore’s Board of Estimates ratified a sharp increase to the conduit franchise fee paid by BGE and other utility users, lifting the rate from $2.20 to $4.05 per linear foot starting Jan. 1, 2027, with future hikes tied to inflation—costs that ultimately flow through to customers. Consumer Protection: The Maryland Judiciary warned residents about a phone scam using a cloned Somerset County District Court number, urging people to pay “fees” to close cases; officials say Maryland courts won’t call or text asking for payments or personal info. Food & Agriculture: Maryland’s NourishMD grant program is providing funding to help growers and grocers upgrade operations and expand food-insecurity services, including major support for Cambridge-area businesses. Sports Business (Baltimore): The Orioles’ trade deadline churn continues to ripple through the schedule, with Angels pitcher Reid Detmers’ first start after the deadline ending in a loss to Baltimore.

Maryland Business & Economy: Maryland is among 25 states suing the Trump administration over new tariffs, arguing the duties are a “pretext” to replace earlier taxes struck down by the Supreme Court; the case also targets the administration’s use of emergency authority. State & Local Governance: Rep. P. Mike Jurry is pushing a major overhaul of how Maryland County’s County Development Fund is allocated, arguing cross-district “scattering” weakens impact and calling for district-by-district funding until projects are finished. Health & Consumer Tech: LifeStraw rolled out next-generation Home Essential Water Filter Pitchers (7- and 10-cup), pitching filtration that reduces bacteria, parasites, microplastics, and PFAS. Business & Legal: Michigan AG Dana Nessel announced a $400 million settlement in principle with Sandoz over alleged generic-drug price-fixing and competition limits, with trial expected in 2027. Sports & Local Economy: The All Blacks’ rugby “Greatest Rivalry” tour includes a Sept. 12 test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, projected to add millions in North American revenue. Community & Services: A Maryland attorney, Thomas J. Maronick Jr., was named a 2026 Daily Record MD500 honoree in Criminal Law.

Maryland Politics: The Maryland General Assembly overrode Gov. Wes Moore’s vetoes on two bills, including tighter privacy rules for divorce-related public records and new freight-train regulations. Energy & Tech: Amazon has withdrawn plans for data centers near Calvert Cliffs, and Calvert County is moving toward a temporary six-month moratorium to review zoning and heavy-industrial impacts. Business & Finance: Sunrun is preparing to sell $293 million in residential solar asset-backed securities, signaling continued investor appetite for Maryland-area clean-energy financing. Workforce & Innovation: TEDCO will host its 2026 Entrepreneur Expo in Baltimore on Oct. 27, aiming to connect Maryland’s startup ecosystem with more exhibitors and pitch opportunities. Local Economy & Community: Baltimore’s BGE CEO Tamla Olivier highlights the utility’s customer and cost pressures as the company navigates a tough energy period. Sports Business: Orioles reliever Yennier Cano agreed to a $7.5 million, two-year deal for 2027-28, while Adley Rutschman’s trade to the Red Sox keeps reshaping the AL East business of player development and payroll.

MLB Trade Deadline Fallout (Baltimore/Red Sox): The Orioles sent All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox in a blockbuster that reshaped the AL East, while Baltimore also moved other key pieces as teams chased playoff positioning. MLB Power Move (Dodgers/Tarik Skubal): Detroit traded ace Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers, a deal that immediately fueled debate about how aggressively Los Angeles reloads for October. Defense & Industry (Northrop Grumman): Northrop Grumman won multi-year framework deals worth $3B+ to expand PAC-3 and THAAD interceptor component production, aiming to triple PAC-3 output and boost THAAD delivery capacity. Renewables on the Eastern Shore (Geothermal): Salisbury University’s Blackwell Hall renovation will use geothermal heating and cooling, joining other regional projects that are turning underground heat into grid-independent building power. Cybersecurity (Maryland water risk): Federal officials warned “malicious cyber actors” are targeting water and wastewater systems across multiple states, urging utilities to shift to manual operations to limit disruption. Food Safety (Maryland recall): Lidl expanded a cookie recall to include products with undeclared allergens, affecting stores in Maryland and several neighboring states. Research & Biomanufacturing (UMD): NSF awarded UMD $17.3M to build an automated biomanufacturing test bed for researchers nationwide. Trade Policy Legal Fight: A coalition of 25 states sued to block Trump administration forced-labor tariffs, arguing the duties are unlawful and should be halted with refunds ordered. Local Governance (Fort Meade): Fort Meade named an interim city clerk and set a 90-day plan to clear a backlog of public records requests and missing meeting minutes. Nonprofit Leadership (YMCA): The YMCA of the Chesapeake named Megan Milliken its new CFO, bringing back an Eastern Shore executive with a fundraising and grantmaking track record.

MLB Trade Deadline (Maryland impact): The Orioles’ rebuild pivoted hard Monday as Baltimore traded All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox for a package headlined by top prospects Anthony Eyanson, plus Kyson Witherspoon, Enddy Azocar, and catcher Carlos Narváez (with Jake Rogers and cash going to Baltimore). Baltimore also moved Taylor Ward to the Mariners for Alex Hoppe and minor-league arms, and sent Tyler Wells to the Rays. Regional business & policy: Maryland lawmakers kicked off a special session on congressional redistricting, with Republicans calling it a partisan “power grab” and Democrats framing it as a voting-rights fix. Trade & tariffs: A coalition of 25 states including Maryland sued the Trump administration over Section 301 tariffs, arguing the duties are unlawful and a pretext after earlier tariff efforts were struck down. Consumer protection: A settlement tied to Lindsay Automotive Group is moving into a claims process, potentially refunding Maryland car buyers after allegations of deceptive pricing and add-ons. Defense contracting: Lockheed and Northrop Grumman landed major framework deals tied to ramping missile-defense production.

Energy & Housing: Maryland expands help for lower-income households with more than $40M for home energy-efficiency upgrades and rooftop solar rebates, aiming to cut utility bills. Public Safety Tech: Convey911 rolled out a CAD Connector that uses AI to transcribe and summarize 911 calls and push them into PSAP computer-aided dispatch systems, reducing manual data entry. Biotech & Manufacturing: Taysha Gene Therapies and Catalent expanded their partnership to secure future commercial manufacturing support for TSHA-102 gene therapy for Rett syndrome at Catalent’s Maryland facility. Cybersecurity: VanishID launched External Identity Protection at Black Hat, targeting exposed personal data used in attacks on executives and high-access employees. Local Business & Growth: Walker & Dunlop arranged $137.5M refinancing for a Brooklyn mixed-use multifamily project, underscoring continued lender appetite for NYC housing. Gov & Policy: Maryland’s Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week returns Aug. 9-15 with a sales-tax break on qualifying clothing/footwear and select school items. Sports Business (MLB deadline): Trade deadline day reshaped the playoff picture, with Dodgers landing Cy Young ace Tarik Skubal and other contenders making moves as teams scramble before the 6 p.m. ET deadline.

MLB Trade Deadline: The Dodgers finalized a blockbuster late-Saturday deal for Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, sending Freddy Peralta’s former Mets teammate? (Peralta went to Tampa) and a package headlined by prospects Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith; Skubal is set to debut Tuesday at Wrigley Field, while Baltimore’s season ends Sunday’s rain-shortened loss to Philadelphia 8-0 and the Orioles weigh what to do next. Local Sports & Business Angle: Orioles center fielder Colton Cowser said the club is “not too far off” in the AL race and will lean on the front office as the deadline clock runs out. Maryland Consumer & Culture: Maryland’s official dessert, Smith Island Cake, gets a spotlight for its Chesapeake Bay roots and signature multi-layer build. Finance & Policy: US Treasury says it won’t hesitate to join Japan in yen-buying intervention after the yen hit fresh 40-year lows, with Camp David notes pointing to $5B–$10B yen-buying plans. Energy & Data Centers: Federal regulators cleared Charles County’s Morgantown Generating Station ownership transfer to TeraWulf for a planned data-center campus, though key power-grid questions remain unresolved.

Real Estate & Housing: Montgomery County planners unanimously approved preliminary plans for “Friendship Commons,” a mixed-use redevelopment of the former GEICO headquarters in Friendship Heights, clearing key steps for new housing near the Metro—though opponents say it cuts promised green space and conflicts with earlier commitments. Public Finance & Taxation: Maryland’s SDAT updated vacant property valuations in Baltimore, using a Vacant Land Valuation Initiative to better match real market conditions, with changes phased in over three years. Energy & Markets: The U.S. Treasury reportedly bought yen to support the Japanese currency after it hit 40-year lows, signaling possible next-week policy moves as markets watch for stabilization. Global Trade & Risk: With Strait of Hormuz shipping disrupted, researchers warn stalled vessels could spread invasive species worldwide when traffic resumes—an environmental and biosecurity risk with long reach. Chesapeake Environment: A new look at storm-driven plastic “wrack” highlights how cleanup efforts can’t stop ongoing plastic inflows, pushing Maryland toward source-focused solutions. Sports Business (National, with Maryland ties): The Dodgers acquired Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster deal, reshaping the MLB trade deadline landscape as teams pivot to remaining needs.

Middle East Risk for Travelers: The U.S. State Department issued new “prepare to depart” security alerts for Americans in 10 countries as Trump threatens more strikes on Iran and pushes for reopening the Strait of Hormuz; Kuwait reported drone attacks and a tanker was hit, while Israel carried out heavy Gaza strikes after Hamas agreed to disarm. Maryland Public Safety: Maryland’s attorney general is investigating a fatal police shooting at Fort Washington Park after a park police officer fired at a man near the Potomac; a handgun was recovered and no officers were injured. Maryland Courts/Business: A class-action lawsuit was filed in Maryland against PSA over alleged grading inconsistencies and “false advertising,” targeting the sports and Pokemon card authentication industry. MLB Trade Deadline Watch (Baltimore): The Orioles’ deadline posture stays fluid, with reports that catcher Adley Rutschman remains a trade possibility despite interest from multiple contenders; Baltimore also made a Kremer-for-prospect move with Minnesota, underscoring a willingness to reshape the roster. Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure: Michigan joined Minnesota in reporting cyberattacks on water systems; officials say affected systems are operating safely while federal investigators continue to probe, with Iran cited as a suspected source. Economy/Household Pressure: SNAP cuts are hitting Black Americans hardest, with advocates warning the worst is still ahead as federal food assistance declines under the 2025 law.

Orioles Front Office Moves: Baltimore agreed to a $7.5 million, two-year extension with reliever Yennier Cano (with a $10 million club option for 2029), keeping one of its top bullpen arms in place. MLB Trade Deadline Watch: The Minnesota Twins acquired Orioles starter Dean Kremer, sending 18-year-old outfielder Jhomnardo Reyes to Baltimore; Kremer is returning from a right quad strain and has a 6.50 ERA in seven starts. Defense & Procurement: The U.S. Navy ordered Sikorsky to develop improved main rotor blades for Marine One, a $107.3 million contract tied to work through 2031. Cybersecurity Funding: Balance Theory raised $19 million to help CISOs plan and manage cybersecurity spending, claiming it already manages more than $1 billion in security budgets. Local Business & Retail Expansion: Burlington plans 12 new store openings in August, including Maryland locations. Regional Economy & Infrastructure: Baltimore’s The Paramount, a 4,000-seat music venue near M&T Bank Stadium, is nearing completion and is expected to open this fall. Geopolitics: Trump threatened more strikes on Iran as the Strait of Hormuz remains tense, with Kuwait reporting drone attacks and a tanker hit.

Medicare & Hospitals: CMS issued the FY 2027 hospital inpatient payment final rule, boosting Medicare rates by a net 2.3% (about $2.9B total), expanding new medical technology payments and rolling out a nationwide joint replacement bundled model in 2028, with notable Maryland carve-outs. Health Care Legal Fight: Maryland and other states moved to block a federal 2027 rule that would expand “catastrophic” plans and raise costs, arguing it undermines Affordable Care Act protections and could push millions off coverage. Maryland Economy & Racing: Maryland finalized an $85M deal to buy the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes brands, using tax-exempt bonds and keeping state control of the Triple Crown centerpiece. Local Public Health: Montgomery County lifted remaining Potomac River shoreline health advisories after sewage spill-related bacterial levels returned to acceptable ranges. Sports Business: The Orioles extended reliever Yennier Cano for two years (plus a 2029 option) and kept trade talk alive as Adley Rutschman’s future remains contract-sensitive ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline. Cyber & Energy Markets: White House signals it may order new strikes on Iran as Strait of Hormuz tensions persist, with oil prices reacting.

Data Center Fight: New York moves to curb large-scale hyperscale data centers with a statewide permit moratorium, as residents and lawmakers debate grid strain, costs, and whether the state will “miss the boat.” Healthcare Tech: Sodexo’s Clinicia says it’s now powering 500 hospitals with 10 million personalized patient meals a year, while RecovryAI completes a pivotal postoperative recovery trial at three Maryland-area orthopedic centers ahead of an FDA De Novo filing. FDA Precision Medicine: The FDA quietly updated and renamed its companion diagnostics device list, a change that can determine which cancer patients can access targeted drugs. Maryland Energy & Power: Baltimore plans to scrap a BGE deal that let the utility profit from city conduit repairs, and the state is also weighing how PJM drives soaring bills. State Gambling Crackdown: New York sues Kalshi to halt prediction-market contracts, escalating a broader fight over whether these platforms are unlicensed gambling. Local Business & Jobs: Maryland’s SkillsUSA team brings home major national wins, and Nordstrom Rack is expanding into Maryland with new stores. Sports Business: The Orioles add veteran catcher Jake Rogers from the Tigers as they try to stabilize behind the plate amid injuries.

Maryland Higher Ed & Workforce: Gov. Wes Moore announced an $800 credit plus expedited admissions support for Howard University students disenrolled over enrollment/financial obligations, with the University System of Maryland coordinating late review and program matching. Sports Business: Maryland closed a deal to buy the intellectual property rights to the Preakness Stakes (and Black-Eyed Susan rights), aiming to keep the Triple Crown race in-state and fund upgrades via a revenue bond. AI & Energy Policy: At the National Governors Association meeting, Gov. Wes Moore and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt compared approaches to AI-driven data center growth, with Maryland emphasizing that operators must bring energy and pay for upgrades. Corporate Finance: Agree Realty reported strong Q2 results, including higher Core FFO/AFFO per share and a larger dividend. Public Safety & Consumer Watch: Lidl recalled shortbread cookies sold in Maryland and other states after foreign-language labeling failed to declare major allergens in English. Local Real Estate/Operations: Employees at Glen Burnie’s Empire Towers say vehicles remain trapped in a parking garage after an evacuation tied to unpermitted construction, with access restricted for months. Arts & Nonprofits: The Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance announced plans to shut down its operations for financial reasons.

MLB Trade Deadline Watch (Baltimore/Detroit): Tarik Skubal’s possible final start with the Tigers turned into a rollercoaster—he struck out Taylor Ward for his 1,000th career K and drew standing ovations, but Detroit blew a 7-0 lead and lost to the Orioles 10-9 in 12 innings, tightening the Aug. 3 trade clock. Dealmaking Signals (Dodgers): Los Angeles baseball ops chief Andrew Friedman said the Dodgers will “participate” in conversations for star players like Skubal, while also downplaying an urgent need for starters. Maryland Politics/Redistricting: Maryland lawmakers filed a proposed constitutional amendment ahead of a special session, aiming to clarify standards for compact legislative districts and give the state Supreme Court direct review over congressional districting challenges. Energy/Utilities (BGE): Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen backed a proposed BGE conduit fee plan as the utility seeks rate relief. Business & Growth (Maryland-based): CorVascular launched an ASUS handheld ultrasound portfolio at SVU 2026 in National Harbor, highlighting point-of-care imaging expansion. Consumer/Health: Lidl issued a voluntary recall of shortbread cookies due to undeclared wheat, soy, milk and egg allergens. Public Safety (Baltimore): Dirt bike riders protested the city’s crackdown, arguing for a middle ground between enforcement and regulation.