Room to grow
Before Mayor Kurt Schmoke walked through the cast-iron gates into Oriole Park at Camden Yards for the stadium’s inaugural game in 1992, he said the new ballpark would “help fulfill our dreams not only on the athletic field but in the field of economic development.”
Twenty-five years later, the Orioles have yet to get to a World Series playing there, but Schmoke, now president of the University of Baltimore, said he’ll feel “old and happy” attending Monday’s season-opening Orioles game, partly because of the ballpark’s impact downtown and elsewhere.
The red-brick park’s retro design, urban location and overnight popularity made it stand out, transforming how big league baseball fields have been built — and where they are located — ever since. But others question the extent of the stadium’s economic boost, and current and former state officials say more can be done to capitalize on the stadium’s appeal.
“Oriole Park without question changed the whole paradigm on how stadiums are built in
America,” said John Moag Jr., the former chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority, which owns the ballpark. “It’s time for a little refresher, though.”
Many observers say Camden Yards has left some runners on base by not having more of an impact in the area around the ballpark, which loses some spirit and activity when the O’s aren’t playing there.
With the team’s lease ending in five years, the Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority expect to begin talks in the near future. Everyone expects the Orioles to continue playing at Camden Yards given the club’s deep Baltimore roots and commitment to the city, but everything else is on the table, from the lease terms to updates in and around the stadium complex.
The Orioles say the team also wants to foster initiatives to generate more buzz in the area, particularly using Camden Station, a 19th-century former train terminal that holds promise because of its elegance and proximity.
While most agree the stadium area needs more activity, the ballpark nonetheless has had a sizable impact. Crossroads Consulting, a Florida firm. The ballpark supported an average of 2,440 jobs each year, it said. And the games generated about $22.5 million in state tax revenues over the two years.
The authority is talking with the Orioles about jointly funding a new master plan focusing on the the stadium and warehouse area, Kelso said. The authority, he added, is open to working with the city to extend that planning outside Camden Yards’ footprint.