Orioles, Maryland officials announce non-binding stadium agreement, but not a lease – Boston Herald

The Orioles and representatives of Gov. Wes Moore said Friday they have reached agreement on a non-binding “memorandum of understanding” — but not a lease — to keep the Orioles committed to Camden Yards for 30 years.

While representatives from the governor’s office and the team proclaimed Thursday night that there was a 30-year agreement, they acknowledged during a Friday morning briefing that no lease has been signed. And they said an extension of the current lease for at least a year or two may be needed because both sides have not agreed to final terms yet.

Under the memorandum, the Orioles would cease paying rent to the state for Camden Yards but would assume responsibility for stadium operations and management.

The memorandum, which states that “the initial term of the new ballpark facility agreement will be for 30 years,” is not a legally binding document.

The details, in a briefing with reporters, followed an announcement to fans during Thursday night’s Orioles game about an agreement.

“Earlier today, the Orioles, Governor Wes Moore and the State of Maryland, and the Maryland Stadium Authority agreed to a deal that will keep the Orioles in Baltimore and at Camden Yards for at least the next 30 years!!” the announcement said.

Moore and Orioles Chairman and CEO John Angelos were then shown together on the video board.

It’s unclear why the parties announced the 30-year deal publicly when it’s uncertain when a lease agreement will be reached. The parties said Friday that they had each signed the memorandum and would work diligently to sign a lease before the end of the year.

“I could not be more thrilled to spend decades watching the Orioles win titles in Baltimore,” Moore said in a news release. “This deal is not only a good use of state resources, but will also drive economic growth in downtown and across the city.”

The memorandum of understanding includes a development rights agreement under which the Orioles would develop the land around Camden Yards — including the warehouse and Camden Station — that the state and team have long said are underutilized.

Under the plan, the Orioles will pay $94 million in rent over the 99-year term of the agreement “and the state and the Orioles will work together on plans for the new development,” said the news release from the governor’s office. Paying rent on those properties is distinct from paying rent for the stadium itself, which the memorandum says would no longer occur.

The agreement means the Orioles would have rights to bring in private capital to invest in the area. Angelos has long advocated for a public-private partnership to develop the area so it is better used on non-game days. It’s uncertain how much those rights might be worth to the Orioles.

The governor’s release said that the proposed swap — the club stopping rent payments but taking over stadium operations and maintenance — would be a net gain for the state. It said the state would contribute a portion of the savings, $3.3 million per year, toward a safety and repair fund “to keep the stadium in top-notch condition.”

The Ravens have a similar, though not identical, arrangement under which they pay no rent but are responsible for stadium operation and maintenance.

The Orioles lease was originally set to expire at the end of 2021. In February of that year, the stadium authority and the club agreed on a two-year extension to expire at the end of this year.

On Jan. 31 of this year, Angelos floated an alternative proposal to Moore for another two-year lease extension. But the stadium authority balked at the request “because nobody understood why we couldn’t get a lease done in the remaining months before Dec. 31,” former stadium authority Tom Kelso said in an interview.

This article will be updated

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