The president of Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre, Ron Legler, is voicing concerns over whether Mayor Brandon Scott fully supports the theatre, despite the venue attracting nearly 300,000 visitors to the city last season.

The questions arise after Mayor Scott made racially charged comments last week while awarding $3.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to 24 smaller arts organizations. “For too long, public dollars have simply gone to the big names and big players in town,” Scott stated, adding, “The big names and big players in town, just happen to be white-ran organizations in Baltimore.”

Legler expressed hurt over the implications, stating, “We’re saddened to hear that because we are white-ran, we are not effective or not deserving of funding.”

Taxpayer advocate David Williams suspects the mayor may be playing politics with the federal tax dollars meant for relief. “This shouldn’t be about racial equity. This should be about taxpayers getting the biggest bang for their buck and making sure tax dollars aren’t wasted,” Williams said.

At the Hippodrome, Legler fears the mayor’s divisive comments could further fracture the city. “If we can’t get past these small dividing statements, we’re never going to get anywhere,” he lamented.

The theatre president’s concerns highlight mounting tensions between large arts institutions and the mayor’s office over funding allocations and racially tinged rhetoric surrounding Baltimore’s arts community.