Orioles, state of Maryland optimistic about lease renewal at Camden Yards

The Orioles have played at Camden Yards since 1992, and the ballpark started a revolution around the country as teams began to seek out retro-style stadiums with modern amenities. 

Routinely considered one of the best venues in Major League Baseball, the O's finally have paired the ballpark with a team worthy of praise again. The original 30-year lease was due to expire in 2021 but both the Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority (which manages both Oriole Park and the Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium) extended the lease for two more years.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Angelos had twice promised to release details of the team's finances to reporters in January and February, but that never happened.

The Sun also reported that despite the delay on lease renewal, Angelos has a motive in getting a deal done - the promise of having upgrades to the stadium paid for by public funds.

In 2019, Angelos notably declared that the Orioles will play in Baltimore “as long as Fort McHenry is standing watch over the Inner Harbor” and has reiterated that point several times in the years since. Angelos is incentivized to agree to a new lease to keep the team in Baltimore not only because it would validate his past comments, but also because it would give the team access to $600M in public money to upgrade Camden Yards. The neighboring Ravens extended their lease with the MSA in January, gaining access to the funds.

The public display of commitment from both sides is far different than what's going on out west. The Oakland A's trying their hardest to move to Las Vegas despite the city's mayor recently meeting with commissioner Rob Manfred in hopes of keeping the team in the East Bay.