Lobbyists, Washington meetings reflect Orioles chairman John Angelos’ push for ‘second Baltimore renaissance’

Orioles Chairman and CEO John Angelos has reached out to Maryland’s congressional delegation and retained Washington lobbyists to try to help the city redevelop the Inner Harbor and the area immediately surrounding the city’s stadium complex.

It’s part of a push, in concert with the city and state, for what Angelos has called a “second Baltimore renaissance.”

Angelos met with U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin earlier this year, and a second meeting is expected with the Maryland Democrat later this summer about redevelopment, according to Cardin’s office.

Maryland’s other senator, Democrat Chris Van Hollen, “has heard from the Orioles’ representatives broadly on revitalizing the Inner Harbor, but no specific proposals have been discussed,” said a statement from Van Hollen’s office in response to Baltimore Sun inquiries.

“That being said, the senator has previously been committed to bringing greater investment to downtown Baltimore and the Inner Harbor,” the statement said. It said the senator “welcomes the Orioles joining this all-hands-on-deck push.”

In June, the Orioles retained the firm of Cornerstone Government Affairs Inc., according to a lobbying registration form filed with the Secretary of the Senate’s public records office.

The lobbyists’ purpose, the form said, is to work “with Maryland congressional delegation members to build support for federal appropriations and grants for Baltimore City and the surrounding metropolitan areas to support programs to make infrastructure investments, transportation improvements, homeland security infrastructure and services, and general coordination with federal agencies.”

Efforts will focus, the form said, “on supporting the revitalization efforts for Baltimore City’s Inner Harbor District and the Entertainment District which includes both major league franchise stadiums in the city.”

Todd Webster, one of the Cornerstone lobbyists named on the form, declined to comment.

Webster, a former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, has worked with Angelos for years on various projects, including as a spokesperson for the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. The Orioles own the majority of MASN, which produces coverage of Orioles and Washington Nationals’ games.

Angelos who also declined to comment, said in a memorandum last September to the team’s front-office staff members that he hoped to help the city achieve a second “renaissance.” The first renaissance, he wrote, came with the openings of Harborplace, the Inner Harbor development, in 1980, and of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992. Angelos has said he would like the stadium area to be an entertainment hub, even on days when the Orioles aren’t playing.

The disclosure form did not specify what sorts of redevelopment funds the club is seeking.

Money to improve state-owned Oriole Park is available as part of a new state law under which the Maryland Stadium Authority can borrow up to $1.2 billion for stadium improvements — $600 million each for the Orioles and Ravens. However, the funds for the ballpark cannot be accessed until the Orioles have a lease in place that is long enough to pay off the bonds. The current lease extension will run out Dec. 31.

Angelos and Democratic Gov. Wes Moore issued a joint statement last week saying they hoped to reach a deal soon. The vague update prompted Democratic state Treasurer Dereck Davis to demand information Wednesday about what was taking so long. Moore and Angelos’ offices did not respond, other than to refer to their earlier statement.

In the last few weeks, members of the state’s congressional delegation have met separately with Moore and Democratic Mayor Brandon Scott to assess their federal priorities, including revitalizing Baltimore’s downtown and stadium area. Moore and Scott have also periodically met with Angelos.

“The governor’s vision includes investing in our key downtown attractions, like the stadiums and the convention center, as well as supporting the infrastructure, transit, housing, amenities, and jobs that will tie those landmarks together as one community,” said Carter Elliott, Moore’s press secretary.

A rebuilt Lexington Market reopened last fall, more than two years after the start of a project to rebuild the faded attraction. A local developer, David Bramble, is re-imagining Harborplace, the twin pavilions at the Inner Harbor that was once a magnet for tourists but now sits largely vacant. The city and state hope to improve pedestrian access between the Inner Harbor and the stadium area, which also includes Horseshoe Casino and Topgolf.

“The growth is there,” Scott told reporters Wednesday after meeting with Cardin, Van Hollen and U.S. House members at the U.S. Capitol. “We have a brand-new CFG Bank Arena. We see what happened with the new Lexington Market that is there. We also know that the stadiums are going to be getting investment, and we have a hometown, homegrown developer for the [Inner] Harbor.”

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