Maryland approves Oriole Park upgrades

The Maryland Board of Public Works has approved a $135m (£110m/€131m) financing plan to renovate Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home stadium of Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles.

Upgrades to the stadium will include a new sound system and videoboard, which will be fitted ahead of the 2026 MLB season.

Reports emerged last year that Populous had been selected to lead the design team behind the redevelopment of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The redevelopment is being funded by the state of Maryland following the Orioles’ commitment to remain in Baltimore under a new long-term lease deal.

The Orioles’ previous lease deal had been due to expire at the end of 2023, but the franchise reached an agreement with the State of Maryland, Governor Wes Moore and Maryland Stadium Authority to continue playing at the stadium for 30 more years.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards is set to undergo around $400m worth of renovations in the coming years. The Board of Public Works has now approved an initial $135m financing plan, with subsequent funding to be provided in further rounds.

In a statement reported by the Baltimore Sun newspaper, the Maryland Stadium Authority said: “Together with the Baltimore Orioles, MSA looks forward to sharing information about the first of the multi-phase, multi-year improvements to the ballpark.”

The Orioles have played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards since 1992. The stadium forms part of the wider Camden Yards complex, which also houses M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.

M&T Bank Stadium is also undergoing a major redevelopment costing $430m. The first upgrades, including bar areas and premium hospitality suites, were rolled out in August.

The Ravens unveiled plans for the redevelopment of the stadium back in December 2023, with the team seeking to retain the venue’s status as one of the best fan experiences in the NFL. The three-year project will run until 2026.

In January 2023, the Ravens extended a lease deal to continue playing at M&T Bank Stadium until at least 2037. The deal includes two five-year options to extend the lease beyond 2037.