The Baltimore Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority have inked the previously announced deal to keep the team at Camden Yards for the next 30 years.
Two votes Monday, one from the Maryland Stadium Authority itself and another from the three-member Board of Public Works, both favored the deal without opposition.
The agreement was initially announced in September.
“Our management group took the Orioles to the top of the league this season, and now, in partnership with Governor Wes Moore and his Administration, they made this deal happen,” Baltimore Orioles chair and managing partner John Angelos said in a statement. “Most importantly, I’m happy we can deliver on our promise to fans of keeping the Orioles here for 30 more years, marking the 100th season of the team in Baltimore.”
“The Orioles are a valued part of the Baltimore community, and we are grateful to continue this partnership with a deal that follows the broad shared goals of the memorandum of understanding from earlier this year,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. “This agreement will not only benefit the world-class fan experience at Camden Yards, but the entire city as well, and we are thrilled knowing that Maryland will continue to see playoff baseball in Baltimore for years to come.”
Camden Yards will undergo modernization and upgrades under the deal, with $600 million in taxpayer-financed bonds available.
If a ground lease and redevelopment plan for the surrounding area is also approved, the Orioles have the ability to change the terms of the extension and take on responsibility for building maintenance and operations instead of the state agency.
The Orioles began play at Camden Yards on April 6, 1992, with Baltimore setting the trend toward retro-style, instead of multi-use, ballparks.
It was at Camden Yards on Sept. 6, 1995, that Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,130th consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig’s ironman streak.
–Field Level Media