Two weeks after expressing concern over the lack of progress between the Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority in reaching a new lease, a state official now says he is “cautiously optimistic that we’re not too far from hopefully announcing a deal.”
Maryland Treasurer Dereck Davis said Wednesday that, in recent weeks, he met with Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, and also with Orioles chairman John Angelos to discuss the topic. In those conversations, which Davis declined to detail, he said he wanted to convey his “sense of urgency.”
“At this point in time, I’m satisfied with what I’ve heard. I’m going to continue to monitor and I’m going to let them work and give them their space to get this taken care of,” Davis said after Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting.
Asked if he believed there was a sticking point between the Orioles and the stadium authority, Davis said: “They didn’t communicate that to me.”
“We’re in a wait-and-see posture,” Davis said. “I’m hopeful by the time we’re in the World Series in a couple of months that we’ll be celebrating not only a World Series appearance, but a new long-term lease agreement, as well.”
The stadium authority owns Oriole Park at Camden Yards and acts as landlord for the Orioles, whose initial lease at the ballpark was set to expire in 2021. The club and the stadium authority agreed to extend that until Dec. 31, 2023, now less than five months away.
Lease negotiations have lasted for years. On Feb. 1, the Orioles could have exercised a five-year lease extension, but declined to do so. Angelos said earlier this year he hoped a lease could be completed by mid-July, but when that aspiration did not come to fruition, Davis said on July 19: “It’s time to start putting timelines out there so we can get this damn thing done.”
A stadium authority board member, William Cole, shared his frustration Tuesday in a board meeting.
“With an unprecedented investment of $600 million from the Maryland General Assembly, I remain perplexed why a lease hasn’t been executed already,” Cole said, referencing a law passed last year that promises publicly funded improvements to Camden Yards.
In addition to Davis, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Moore, both Democrats, compose the Board of Public Works, the state’s spending board which would ultimately approve a lease. Lierman declined to comment Wednesday and Moore and Angelos have declined to comment, instead referring to a statement they jointly made on July 13 which said in part: “We are determined to make it happen, and soon.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, a Democrat, said Wednesday he is not concerned that the two parties have not agreed to a lease.
“I have 99 problems and the Orioles are not one. I have no level of concern about that,” he said.
On the field, the Orioles are in the midst of a surprisingly successful season and boast the best record in the American League. They’re seeking their first playoff appearance since 2016.
Baltimore Sun reporters Sam Janesch and Emily Opilo contributed to this article.
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