Wes Moore: New Orioles lease 'a big priority'

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Last month, Orioles chairman/CEO John Angelos shared his optimism that the team will have a new Camden Yards lease signed by mid-July, calling it a potential “All-Star break gift” for the Baltimore community. The current agreement for the state-owned ballpark is set to expire at the end of 2023.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore is hopeful it can get done even sooner, sharing his thoughts on the situation prior to throwing out the first pitch before the O’s 5-5 tie with the Twins at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on Friday night.

“I’m very confident that we are moving fast on this,” said Moore, who was inaugurated in mid-January. “It should not be lost on anybody that the first trip that I took outside of the state [as governor] was down here, was to spend time with the Orioles, was to make sure that they understand how big of a priority this is for me, and how big a priority this is for the state.

“And so, we feel very confident that we have the same goal. The goal is to make sure there is Orioles baseball in Baltimore for generations to come, and I feel very good about our prospects of being able to get this deal done quickly.”

Sarasota wasn’t the only stop on Moore’s trip south. He, Angelos and Maryland Stadium Authority board chair Craig Thompson first went to Atlanta on Thursday for a specific purpose -- to check out The Battery, a 2.25 million square-foot mixed-use development adjacent to the Braves’ Truist Park.

Angelos has stated he hopes to incorporate a “live, work, play 365” component to Camden Yards and the surrounding area. He pointed to Atlanta as the “best example” of how such development can be profitable for a city.

Moore believes Camden Yards is a great “anchor” for something similar in Baltimore.

“The thing that I also took away [from The Battery] is that that can’t be it,” Moore said. “We’ve got to make sure that there’s economic energy that’s taking place around the ballpark. We’ve got to support entrepreneurs. We’ve got to support small businesses. We’ve got to support the community that’s around it.”

Another aspect of The Battery that made an impression on Moore was that it’s walkable, which is beneficial to both residents and tourists alike. He believes the mass-transit component in Baltimore would be an added bonus.

Moore made it clear he isn’t looking to create an exact replica of what he saw in Atlanta, though.

“I think that what they did is right for them. What we’re going to do in Baltimore and in Maryland is going to be right for us,” Moore said. “And I love the assets that we have to be able to make this a reality.”

Once Moore arrived in Sarasota on Friday, he received a tour of the Orioles’ Ed Smith Stadium facilities, which the team moved into in 2010. He got an opportunity to take a round of batting practice on a back field.

“None of the Orioles should worry at all about me taking their job,” Moore joked.

Shortly before the game, Moore was escorted onto the stadium field and took a half-lap around the warning track while donning an O’s No. 63 jersey, the number signifying he’s the 63rd Governor of Maryland. He shook hands with fans along the first-base line and took pictures, all with a wide smile never leaving his face.

Moore met The Oriole Bird, then took the mound for his first pitch -- which catcher Adley Rutschman made sure to frame over the plate for a strike.

Fans are excited for what’s coming for the O’s in the 2023 season. Moore is, too.

“This is an incredibly talented team, but it’s also a very egoless team, which is really fun to watch, because they will outwork everybody, they will play together, and that’s why this team is going to have a great year,” Moore said. “This team epitomizes everything that we love about Baltimore, everything we love about Maryland. And I think this year, they’re going to put on a show, and it’s going to be fun to watch.”

Moore is eager about everything planned for the long-term future of Camden Yards and downtown Baltimore. And he’s confident the Orioles will continue to be a part of it.

“I believe that anything that you prioritize has a way of getting done,” Moore said. “And this is a priority for us.”