8 things to know: McCormick expands Frank's lineup; Greene Turtle parent to open sportsbook

Good morning and TGIF!

Spring is trying to break through. The daffodils are blooming, the temps are warming up and people are starting to come out of hibernation. But don't expect a super springy weekend. We're supposed to get some rain yet again — and lots of wind. By the way, we also lose an hour of sleep on Sunday. Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. on March 10. Set your clocks an hour forward. The bad news is that it's not great for your health. The good news is that the days are getting longer — and the sun won't set until after 6 p.m.

Now here's what you need to know to start your day.

BBJ unveils its 2024 Middle Market Leaders

The Baltimore Business Journal honored its Middle Market Leaders at Citron Restaurant and Bar in Quarry Lake at Greenspring on Thursday night. The List featured those privately held companies with $25 million to $1 billion in revenue that saw measurable growth from 2020 to 2022. See both the Middle Market Leaders List and special section online and in print.

Greene Turtle parent expands sportsbook to D.C.

The parent company behind the Greene Turtle plans a new sportsbook restaurant in Washington's Georgetown neighborhood, the latest outpost in a small but growing portfolio for the new concept. The Columbia-based restaurant chain has inked a deal for the former Rí Rá Irish Pub space at 3125 M St. NW, Geo Concepcion, CEO of the Greene Turtle, told the Washington Business Journal. The company is still workshopping what the new spot will be called. The company has two other Greene Turtle-branded sportsbook locations, in Baltimore's Shops at Canton Crossing and in Towson. The new one in Georgetown will shed the Turtle brand for something new.

MCA sets date for social equity lottery

The Maryland Cannabis Administration said Thursday that the lottery drawings for social equity applicants will be held on March 14 — and live-streamed to the public on cannabis.maryland.gov. The MCA may select up to 179 applicants across more than 40 lottery pools. The MCA said more than 1,500 applications will be entered into the lottery pools and eligible for selection. Under Maryland's social equity program, both in-state and out-of-state residents can qualify to apply for a cannabis license if they meet one of three criteria.

Sign up for the Baltimore Business Journal's emails to get news delivered to your inbox twice a day.

Barron names Constellation a top sustainable company

Constellation Energy Corp. (Nasdaq: CEG), Baltimore's largest public company, ranked ninth in Barron’s seventh annual “100 Most Sustainable Companies” list. The list includes the largest 1,000 publicly traded U.S. companies using 230 environmental, social and governance criteria ranging from workplace diversity to greenhouse-gas emissions. Constellation, making its debut on the list this year, achieved the highest score of any energy company. Barron’s worked with Calvert Research and Management to compile the rankings. “As the nation’s largest producer of clean nuclear energy, we embrace our role of ensuring that electricity remains reliable and affordable for the millions of Americans who rely on us every day to keep their families and businesses thriving,” said Kathleen Barrón, executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Constellation.

Whiting-Turner Contracting wins big Texas airport contract

Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. was approved for a four-year, $150 million contract to expand the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The Austin City Council voted to approve the contract on Feb. 29. Baltimore's Whiting-Turner will oversee pre-construction and construction services to expand the existing atrium at the entrance of the Barbara Jordan Terminal with 13,000 square feet of infill space. The project, as reported by the Austin Business Journal, will fill an existing open space above the airport's baggage claim, creating more real estate for security screening, bag check and passenger processing on the departures level.

McCormick unveils new Frank's RedHot products

If you're one of those people who put Frank's RedHot or "that $#!t" on everything, you'll be happy to know McCormick & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MKC) has expanded its Frank's products so you can now squeeze and dip with it. The Hunt Valley manufacturer has unveiled Frank's RedHot Dip'n Sauce and Frank's RedHot Squeeze Sauce at select retailers. The Garlic, Buffalo and Golden Dip'n Sauces are described as a thicker and milder cousin to the original hot sauce. They can be spread on sandwiches or used as a dip — hence the name. The Squeeze Sauce adds a little spiciness to food with Sriracha, Hot Honey and Creamy Buffalo flavors. "The new Frank's Dip'n and Squeeze Sauces let fans add the perfect balance of flavor and heat in a new way by dipping or drizzling as much as they want on any food," Valda Coryat, North America vice president of marketing at McCormick said in a statement. "Not only are consumers experimenting with different hot sauce flavors, they're adding it on a wider variety of foods from pizza to noodles. More Frank's flavors means more versatility, and more ways for consumers to create their own unique signature combinations throughout the year."

Dill Dinkers taps developer for Charlotte expansion

Dill Dinkers, a Howard County pickleball chain, is moving forward in its North Carolina expansion, tapping developer Chris Billesdon to bring the brand to Charlotte and surrounding areas. Billesdon has signed on as a regional developer, committing to adding 10 or more locations of the Howard County sports chain in the Charlotte region, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. He'll build at least one — and possibly more — as well as work with franchisees to round out the market. Dill Dinkers has not secured a location in the market yet. Billesdon says the challenge is finding the right fit when it comes to space. He's currently got a site under consideration, but is looking for existing buildings between 15,000 and 40,000 square feet. The expansion is part of a nationwide franchising push by founders Will and Denise Richards, who in November 2022 opened their first indoor Dill Dinkers complex in Columbia.

UMMS to build logistics center at Tradepoint

Big news broke from the University of Maryland Medical System on Thursday. The health system plans to build a 400,000-square-foot logistics center at Tradepoint Atlantic to reinvent how it delivers supplies to over 20,000 staff across the state, Matt Hooke reports. The medical giant will use the building at 1390 Sparrows Point Blvd. to centralize its logistics, transforming from a system where each hospital is in charge of ordering and storing its inventory to one where a central hub supplies equipment for all UMMS institutions.

Joanna Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief of the Baltimore Business Journal, can be reached at jsullivan@bizjournals.com.