Jim,

I believe that the state of Maryland owns the rights to the Preakness brand. They passed some legislation a number of years back when they were worried team Stronach would move the race to Santa Anita. I was not aware of a law requiring the race to be run in Baltimore, if that is accurate?

The Stronach group has been planning the move to Laurel for quite a few years.
They will not spend a penny at Pimlico. There is no way in this political and economic climate that a broke ass city will pony up the needed funds. Zig Ziglar could not sell the historical ticket to anyone in a city with mounds of severe problems and a budget deficit. Nor will the state of Maryland appropriate 400 million for 12 racing days a year for posterities sake.

I was there once in 1978 for Affirmed & Alydar, it was a dump then. Fairmount was there this year for the Preakness and claims “ Fairmount Park is a better venue than Pimlico”....

For those unfamiliar with the person mentioned above....
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zig_Ziglar