Angelos wanted two year lease extension

[Going Underground]

Orioles CEO John Angelos paused lease negotiations until new governor took office, planned 2-year extension, ddcocument says
https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-angelos-orioles-lease-20230810-lqp5hwcnhna4vp2uwsx54rclhu-story.html

Edited August 10, 2023 by Going Underground

[Going Underground]

As Orioles and Maryland Stadium Authority officials continue to reassure fans that the team is on track to sign a new stadium lease by the end of the year, a letter obtained by The Baltimore Sun reveals team CEO John Angelos temporarily halted negotiations last winter until Gov. Wes Moore took office.

Angelos also floated the idea of a two-year extension to allow time to craft an ambitious redevelopment plan for the entire stadium complex. That didn’t come to pass, leaving the parties staring down a Dec. 31 deadline for a lease or an extension that would renew the team’s commitment to the city.

[Going Underground]

 

 

 

 

Officials in the administration of outgoing Republican Gov. Larry Hogan had hoped to complete a deal with the club before his term ended and the Hogan-appointed stadium authority chairman, Thomas Kelso, was replaced. Hogan’s team, in fact, got a lease deal done with the Baltimore Ravens at the end of last year.

 

 

 

Moore featured Angelos in his 2020 book “Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City,” while Angelos donated the maximum amount of $6,000 to Moore’s campaign last summer. At the Orioles’ home opener this year, Moore threw the ceremonial first pitch, and he returned to the ballpark during the recent Yankees’ series to man the hose that sprays fans in the “Splash Zone.”

“Based on our conversations to date, you and I agree that the State, City and the Orioles need to dedicate the necessary time, effort and resources to review and structure a comprehensive development plan in order to maximize the impact of this level of investment in Oriole Park,” Angelos told Moore in his letter.

Angelos, who is also the team’s chairman, suggested to the governor that the team and the state sign a two-year lease extension to give the parties time “to facilitate and complete this sweeping project.”

[Going Underground]

 

Moore featured Angelos in his 2020 book “Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City,” while Angelos donated the maximum amount of $6,000 to Moore’s campaign last summer. At the Orioles’ home opener this year, Moore threw the ceremonial first pitch, and he returned to the ballpark during the recent Yankees’ series to man the hose that sprays fans in the 

 

Craig Thompson, the Moore-appointed stadium authority board chairman, did not immediately respond Wednesday night to texts seeking comment.

Thompson worked for the law office of Peter Angelos — the longtime owner of the Orioles — from 1998 to 2005. He said at the time of his appointment he did not have a personal relationship with Angelos nor with any member of his family.

[Going Underground]

The whole thing smells fishy. Former Angelos law firm employee heading the MSA. Who knows if the Maryland Assembly decides to take the money off the table due to maybe a budget deficit in two years.

[maybenxtyr]

29 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

The whole thing smells fishy. Former Angelos law firm employee heading the MSA. Who knows if the Maryland Assembly decides to take the money off the table due to maybe a budget deficit in two years.

There's nothing about this that has the city and residents of the state in mind. This is about allocation of monies for gain.

[drjohnnyfever1]

Sounds like it isn't the stadium lease itself that's the holdup.  Somebody has interests in the Camden Crossing project - or whatever the greater development plan around Camden Yards is and wants some free dough to facilitate that project to widen the profit margin for themselves on the back of greater improvement around the stadium.  I still look at that MLK interview as JA's attempt to grease the wheels with his donation to the city.  But like every time the guy finds a camera the smell of fish finds him.  Funny how the family's former law firm employee is now in position to negotiate this deal.

[Sports Guy]

My uncle was/is a very big name in the Maryland horse racing industry. He worked under Ehrlich and was spearheading his campaign to get casinos in Maryland. At that time, they wanted the casinos at the race tracks, thus my uncles involvement.

I asked my uncle about it while it was going on and he told me that they all knew there was zero chance Ehrlich was going to get the ok to do casinos. Not because anyone thought it would be a bad idea but because they didn’t want the republican to get credit for it.

This is similar. When this goes through, it wouldn’t shock me if you never hear Hogan’s name. It will be “we” (as in Angelos and Moore, with some help from Scott) got this deal done. “We” are the ones you should praise.

Thats why JA waited. The politican whose pockets he did, has and will continue to grease is the one who he wants involved in this because, in turn, that politician will grant him favors as well.

[Frobby]

I don’t find the “former law firm employee” angle all that problematic.  I mean, it’s been 18 years.  Not exactly yesterday.  He’s currently a partner at Venable LLP, which is a well known national law firm that originated in Baltimore.  Nothing to see there IMO.  

[Going Underground]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

My uncle was/is a very big name in the Maryland horse racing industry. He worked under Ehrlich and was spearheading his campaign to get casinos in Maryland. At that time, they wanted the casinos at the race tracks, thus my uncles involvement.

I asked my uncle about it while it was going on and he told me that they all knew there was zero chance Ehrlich was going to get the ok to do casinos. Not because anyone thought it would be a bad idea but because they didn’t want the republican to get credit for it.

This is similar. When this goes through, it wouldn’t shock me if you never hear Hogan’s name. It will be “we” (as in Angelos and Moore, with some help from Scott) got this deal done. “We” are the ones you should praise.

Thats why JA waited. The politican whose pockets he did, has and will continue to grease is the one who he wants involved in this because, in turn, that politician will grant him favors as well.

Nothing new.Happens all the time. Military bases and defense contracts happen to go to a certain state. A manufacturing plant is built in a state that happens to have a Senator or Congress person lobbying a bill that happens to help that industry.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

Nothing new.Happens all the time. Military bases and defense contracts happen to go to a certain state. A manufacturing plant is built in a state that happens to have a Senator or Congress person lobbying a bill that happens to help that industry.

No doubt. Follow the money. Whether it’s a stadium, a vaccine, a school, whatever…the money is the driving force.  Let’s not pretend it’s anything more than that.

These corrupt POS hold everyone hostage while they get rich and they turn around and charge us higher taxes because of it.

[Going Underground]

So I guess someone will decide to do a two year lease or the Camden Crossing plan ,whatever that is and most people don't know what it entails will be at least off the drawing board. I don't see how this plan would be close to more then an idea before December 31,2023.

[Sports Guy]

Angelos and Moore love the idea of the Braves have but the Braves didn’t build their new stadium in downtown Atlanta. 
 

There is apparently no land to do what they want to do.

[spleen1015]

Could they do what the Braves did and move the O's out of Baltimore city to one of the surrounding counties?

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

Could they do what the Braves did and move the O's out of Baltimore city to one of the surrounding counties?

I would think that the only counties in the area with enough money on hand to make that happen would be over in Nat's territory. 

Going to be hard to beat OPACY + 600M bribe.