Two weeks after expressing concern over the dearth of progress between the Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority in reaching a brand new lease, a state official now says he’s “cautiously optimistic that we’re not too far from hopefully announcing a deal.”
Maryland Treasurer Dereck Davis mentioned Wednesday that, in current weeks, he met with Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, and in addition with Orioles chairman John Angelos to debate the subject. In these conversations, which Davis declined to element, he mentioned he needed 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 mentioned after Wednesday’s Board of Public Works assembly.
Asked if he believed there was a sticking level between the Orioles and the stadium authority, Davis mentioned: “They didn’t communicate that to me.”
“We’re in a wait-and-see posture,” Davis mentioned. “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 preliminary lease on the ballpark was set to run out in 2021. The membership and the stadium authority agreed to increase that till Dec. 31, 2023, now lower than 5 months away.
Lease negotiations have lasted for years. On Feb. 1, the Orioles might have exercised a five-year lease extension, however declined to take action. Angelos mentioned earlier this 12 months he hoped a lease may very well be accomplished by mid-July, however when that aspiration didn’t come to fruition, Davis mentioned 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 assembly.
“With an unprecedented investment of $600 million from the Maryland General Assembly, I remain perplexed why a lease hasn’t been executed already,” Cole mentioned, referencing a legislation handed final 12 months that guarantees publicly funded enhancements to Camden Yards.
In addition to Davis, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Moore, each Democrats, compose the Board of Public Works, the state’s spending board which might finally approve a lease. Lierman declined to remark Wednesday and Moore and Angelos have declined to remark, as a substitute referring to an announcement they collectively made on July 13 which mentioned partially: “We are determined to make it happen, and soon.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, a Democrat, mentioned Wednesday he’s not involved that the 2 events haven’t agreed to a lease.
“I have 99 problems and the Orioles are not one. I have no level of concern about that,” he mentioned.
On the sphere, the Orioles are within the midst of a surprisingly profitable season and boast the most effective report within the American League. They’re in search of their first playoff look since 2016.
Baltimore Sun reporters Sam Janesch and Emily Opilo contributed to this text.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com