Today was quite a day for the Baltimore Orioles. Let it go said that today the O’s and the State of Maryland officially agreed to and signed a new 30-year lease to keep the team at Camden Yards. The current lease was set to expire on December 31st.
For the sake of context, I’ll be 43 next month / and 2024 is the first year of the new lease. I’ll be 73 when it’s up. That‘s amazing if you think about it. Maryland Governor Wes Moore on the deal:
From the very beginning, I was clear that we would only sign an agreement that puts Maryland taxpayers at the top of mind, keeps the Orioles in Baltimore long term and benefits the entire City of Baltimore, and that is exactly what we have done here by extending the Orioles’ stadium lease at Camden Yards for another 30 years. 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.
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.
Quote courtesy of Jake Rill, MLB.com
The Orioles do have the option to opt out of the lease after 15 years (2039) if the land surrounding the ballpark isn’t developed. The Orioles have until 2027 to reach a deal on that. However there’s also a no-relocation clause in the deal, which makes it financially detrimental for the Orioles to leave Baltimore. A lot of legalese, but the team isn’t moving in the immediacy of the next 30 years.
The Orioles also made a trade today. They sent Dominican Summer League pitcher Cesar Espinal to Kansas City in exchange for RHP Jonathan Heasley. Mainly used in relief in Kansas City, he should add depth to the Orioles’ bullpen. The Orioles’ bullpen which will continue to be in Baltimore.
Birdland Crush 