Business in Bowie

Economic Development


The city works to retain and grow our existing businesses and to attract new businesses.

The Economic Development Office within the Planning and Economic Development Department is the focal point for the City’s efforts. As such it serves as a repository of information on business services and programs available in Prince George’s County and the Washington, D.C. / Baltimore area. Information and assistance made available to the public includes site selection and development, new business development, demographic and economic data, referral sources for business financial assistance, business counseling, government procurement and business services. Numerous publications related to businesses are also made available.

Discover the Bowie Retail Advantage


More and more retailers are discovering the advantage of a Bowie, Maryland location with its easy access to shoppers from Baltimore, Maryland, to Washington, D.C. Bowie and Prince George's County offer outstanding retail site opportunities combined with a population with money to spend eager for exciting new stores and restaurants. It is a dynamic, business- and family-oriented community whose residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life.

Historical Bowie


The State of Maryland’s fifth largest city, and the largest municipality in Prince George's County, Bowie has grown from a rural 1800s settlement into an ideal city with a healthy economy and a much sought-after quality of life. The City has more than lived up to its motto, “Growth, Unity and Progress” experiencing significant planned development in its residential, office, and commercial sectors.

Bowie enjoys a rich and diverse historic and cultural heritage. This historic city traces its roots to 1870, when land developers subdivided the area into more than 500 residential building lots, creating a large town at a major junction of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad. Since incorporation in 1874 as Huntington, the city has changed its name (in honor of Governor Oden Bowie, a resident) and has become a dynamic community, rivaling the most prosperous cities in the region.

Historically, the area is associated with thoroughbred horse breeding and railroading. It is said that Belair Stud Farm blood flows through the veins of every American racehorse of distinction. In 1958, the firm of Levitt and Sons acquired the Belair Estate and two years later the City of Bowie chose to annex the Levitt properties. Bowie, incorporated as a town in the year 1916, became a city in 1963 with the rewrite of its charter.

While the city is proud of its heritage, it is also focused on the future. It has grown from a small agricultural and railroad town to one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Maryland. Bowie is a city of 18 square miles and approximately 55,000 residents. It has nearly 2,000 acres set aside as parks or open space.

Housing


Bowie's housing inventory offers something for everyone - from the well-maintained traditional homes of Levitt Bowie to the modern communities of Collington Manor, Saddlebrook, and Northridge. And for senior citizens, Bowie has a large number of senior residences whose quality equals the finest senior communities nationwide. Townhouses, condominiums, and rental apartments help to complete the residential offerings. Over the last several years, the City has been averaging 500 new housing units, raising its current inventory to over 20,000 homes.

Special Attractions


The city offers special attractions to both young and old:
  • Bowie Baysox -the AA minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team
  • Seven golf courses within 10 minutes (three semi-private, two private, two public)
  • Over 24 miles of hiker / biker trails
  • Bowie Playhouse Theater
  • Bowie Center for Performing Arts
  • Summer outdoor concerts at Allen Pond Park
  • Bowie Railroad Station and Huntington Museum
  • Belair Mansion & Stable Museums
  • Indoor year-round ice rink
  • 122 ball fields
  • Three community centers
  • Three museums
  • A state-of-the-art senior citizens center
  • A new gymnasium for community programs

Educational Institutions


Bowie also offers easy road access to several world-famous educational institutions and community- based facilities that provide both talent and support to the local business community:
  • Bowie State University, immediately adjacent
  • The University of Maryland, 14 miles
  • Prince George's Community College, 12 miles
  • The Johns Hopkins University, 28 miles
  • Howard University, 16 miles
  • American University, 20 miles
  • The U.S. Naval Academy, 17 miles
  • George Washington University, 18 miles
  • Georgetown University, 18 miles

Government Facilities


Many of the graduates of these universities find work at several key government facilities located nearby. Bowie is home to the U.S. Census Bureau Computer Facility and the Institute for Defense Analysis Computer Center, and is near:
  • National Security Agency, 5 miles
  • NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 5 miles
  • USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, 5 miles
  • Prince George's County Administrative Offices, 10 miles
  • Fort Meade Army Base, 10 miles
  • U.S. Department of Energy, 16 miles
  • National Institutes of Health, 19 miles
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 23 miles
  • National Institute of Standards and Technologies, 28 miles

Transportation


The city is easily accessible via major east / west and north / south highways; rail; and air using Baltimore / Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport, Reagan National Airport, and our local Freeway Airport (general aviation aircraft). Bowie businesses and residents enjoy a 10-minute commute to the Washington Beltway and a 30-minute commute to the Baltimore Beltway. A 20-minute drive will take you to the bountiful attractions of Annapolis, the State Capital, and the Chesapeake Bay. The city has easy access to:
  • Washington, D.C. 12 miles
  • Baltimore, MD 20 miles
  • Annapolis, MD 15 miles
  • Richmond, VA 105 miles
  • Philadelphia, PA 110 miles
  • New York, NY 200 miles
Rail services to the city are provided by CSX Transportation, Amtrak Metroliner (passenger service from Washington, D.C. to New York), MARC (Maryland Rail Commuter line, with stops from Washington to Baltimore), and WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority). The METRO (Washington Subway System) is accessible from Bowie's Park and Ride commuter lot to the New Carrollton and Addison Road METRO Stations.

Utilities


Bowie is served by the following utilities:
  • Water and Sewer: City of Bowie and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
  • Telecommunications: Verizon and Comcast
  • Utilities: Baltimore Gas & Electric Company and Washington Gas

Government


The City of Bowie has a council / manager form of government. The City Council is composed of seven members, the mayor and six councilpersons, elected every two years on a nonpartisan basis.

As anyone in our business community can attest, Bowie provides the best that cities have to offer - responsive government, quiet neighborhoods, extensive parks and recreational activities, and services for young and old.