The Baltimore Orioles, the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) and the State of Maryland reached a lease agreement for Camden Yards less than two weeks before the previous lease expired.
There was a time when many fans around Baltimore started to grow anxious with the coming Memorendum of Agreement (MOA) coming to an end and grumblings of the lease being pulled back due to multiple concerns.
Fortunately for Baltimore, the fans and baseball, a lease agreement was reached that will keep the Orioles in Baltimore for a minimum of 15 years.
A key figure in helping to finalize the details of the lease is the 34th Comptroller of Maryland, Brooke Lierman, a proud mom, civil rights attorney and the first woman Comptroller of the State of Maryland, as well as the first woman elected to an independent state government office in the state.
Comptroller Lierman was kind enough to sit down with us and discuss her role and provide some information on the newly signed lease, as well as answer some questions to help provide the public, the taxpayers and fans some comfort in who is going to bat when it comes to protecting rights.
Stephen: “Comptroller Lierman, you first caught our attention with the statement, ‘I am not a rubber stamp for John Angelos or Governor Moore.’ How did that statement help in shaping your approach to finalizing the lease agreement?”
Comptroller Lierman: “Well, I think the board of public works is a really unique institution in state governments across America because you have three independent individuals [the treasurer, the governor and the comptroller] who each bring their perspective to every contract that is signed that allocates state funding. The governor did the work that he needed to do, the treasurer brought his perspective and I brought my perspective, all of us looking to ensure that the lease that was signed, ultimately, was a fair deal and a good deal for Maryland and Marylanders.”
Stephen: “You said that you were there to protect the taxpayer money. Understanding that it’s taxpayer money that goes into helping facilitate the stadium operations, how do you intend on protecting the taxpayers throughout the lease of the stadium?”
Comptroller Lierman: “Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a state asset. We own that, and it’s an investment that the state made many years ago, so that’s a state asset. So, ensuring that we are maintaining that state asset at the highest level is essential to continue to be of value to the state and, of course, the taxpayers. So, several years ago the general assembly allocated some of our funds to allow them to be bonded, including that $600 million, and we did it for M&T Bank Stadium and for OPACY, recognizing the need to continue making investments into both stadiums, so that they continue to hold their value and so the teams can play in first class stadiums and attract fans, bringing in additional dollars and helping our economy overall. That money was essential, I think, and one of what we ended up signing. The governor certainly, too, along the way, you heard him, had to make sure that he was looking out for the taxpayer. What we ultimately signed was a continuation of the original lease where we, the state, and the MSA will continue to maintain and oversee that state assets, but there is an option for the Orioles to convert to a Facility’s Use Agreement, where they would be in charge of operations and maintenance. I think that there are some pluses to that as long as we, the state, through the MSA, were able to have the oversight that we needed. So, the board of public works, the MSA, the governor with the lease we signed, has that clear oversight. It has clear guardrails for protecting our state employees, and it has clear guardrails for if the facility wasn’t being maintained in a way that we, as the state, would want to see, that we could seek recourse and step in and make sure that we maintaining it.”
Stephen: “One of the things we, as the public, saw in the MOA was that if the Orioles do take over maintenance of the stadium, it would supplant them having to pay rent. Is that true or false?”
Comptroller Lierman: “It is [true] because right now they pay rent, and we use that rent funding to maintain the stadium. But if they were paying to maintain the stadium, the rent doesn’t quite cover the maintenance. So, in some ways, it would work out for the state for them to do that.”
Stephen: “With the initial process, I know there was a lot of back and forth. What concerns did you have in finalizing this lease agreement?”
Comptroller Lierman: “I think the governor, the treasurer and all the state leaders, at the end of the day, we want to make sure that our state assets are maintained well. That we are ensuring the best value for state taxpayer dollars, while also ensuring that the Orioles continue to play baseball in Baltimore, while also ensuring transparency and accountability. That is built into the lease, and I think that we were able to. The governor and the MSA board were juggling a lot of balls in the air, and, I think, did a great job at keeping all the stakeholders informed throughout the process that when it was time to sign the lease, it was unanimous. I think you saw them really working to make sure everybody was informed, had the ability to provide input and ideas, and that was really essential to ensureing that. At the end of the day, this was a unanimous decision.”
Stephen: “I talked to Pigtown executive Kim Lane and Baltimore Community Tool Bank executive Noah Smock because one of the things that has been brought up was the Orioles’ desire to have the ability to develop around the stadium. That’s something that even Governor Wes Moore talked about in spring training with the Orioles last year. I know in the new lease that the Orioles have up until March of 2027 to obtain those developmental rights around the stadium, which if they do, that extends the lease for 15 years, or if they’re happy with the state’s direction with the development, they can pick up that 15 years as well. What are your concerns with the land development around the stadium, whether the Orioles obtain those rights, or if the state keeps those rights?”
Comptroller Lierman: “I wouldn’t characterize it as a concern. There is land all around Baltimore City, and this is one of those pieces of land. Surface parking lots don’t bring in the revenue or provide as well as some other spaces. I would say I’m interested to see what the Orioles and their partners engage in and what sort of a transparent and collaborative process with neighbors and the city, and to talk about what would make sense to enhance that area of the city, while complementing the stadiums that are there. I’m not a developer, but I’m interested in seeing their ideas. We will certainly bring my sense of what’s good for the state, for taxpayers and for Baltimore when reviewing the plans that they bring to us.”
Stephen: “Kim Lane, Pigtown’s executive, has told me that she still has yet to be, or anybody in her area, contacted about any of those plans. Is that something that is normal, or is that something that is down the road? How does that include them because right now, they are on the outside looking in?”
Comptroller Lierman: “I fully expect that Pigtown Main Street, their neighbors and residents should and will be brought into a collaborative process as the development team reviews plans, and I certainly hope that happens. I would expect it to happen, and that’s sort of essential to creating a good plan, I think. I’m not too concerned that it hasn’t happened yet just because this lease was just signed 14 days ago, but I certainly would expect it to happen.”
Stephen: “During the press conference, you said there were standards that you wanted to make sure were upheld and kept. I don’t think people fully understand where the Comptroller comes into play in this, and you are an integral part of this whole situation. As you said, you’re not a rubber stamp for either of them (the Orioles or the state). You’re here to protect the taxpayer money. What are the requirements or recommendations that are needed in order to ensure the taxpayer money is properly protected?”
Comptroller Lierman: “The MSA will work with the Orioles to develop plans for the expenditure of those bond funds, and that will then come to the Board of Public Works for our review. In the lease, there were some initial ideas about ways to enhance the stadium. I think they’re going to move and enhance the kids zone, which appeals to me as a mom with two young kids. There are other ideas that they had attached to the lease, I think in one of the appendices, on ways to update and enhance the stadium experience with the bond funds that are available. The MSA does an overall fantastic job at working to bring projects to close on time and sometimes even under budgets. I look forward to working with them to ensure that happens.”
Stephen: “Is there anything that you would like to convey to the taxpayers, the fans and the surrounding areas that Baltimore is linked with, anything they should know or something that they should feel at ease with you and your office maintaining the integrity of this whole process?”
Comptroller Lierman: “The Maryland State Government is unique in that we ensure that three independent individuals are bringing their keen sense of what is good for our state and for taxpayers to every contract that we sign. The governor does that, the treasurer does that and I do that. I think that is a good method for ensuring that we are achieving the best value for taxpayer dollars. We all worked very hard and very closely to ensure that this deal is in the best interest of the state and the taxpayers, and I’m really excited that the Orioles will be in Baltimore for decades to come.”
Comptroller Lierman was kind enough to take the time and sit down with us to answer questions about the lease agreement with the Orioles. In getting to talk to Mrs. Lierman, she is definitely dedicated to protecting the people while also being an avid fan of the Orioles.
One thing is sure. The people of Baltimore have someone who is looking out for them and protecting the way that the Orioles and the state are utilizing taxpayer money.
I would personally like to thank Comptroller Lierman for taking the time to enlighten, not only myself but others in the workings of this agreement and how she helped to ensure the lease was beneficial and appealing, not only to the parties involved but for the fans who will be supporting the city and the teams of Baltimore.
What do you find most interesting in the new lease agreement? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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