Maryland Governor challenged by politics of on-again, off-again Orioles lease

Irwin Kishner, co-chair of Herrick's Sports Law Group, spoke to The Baltimore Sun about the expiration of the Baltimore Orioles' stadium lease extension and the considerations surrounding an extension of the long-term lease. The Governor launched a plan for the approval of a newly negotiated agreement with the team that he believed improved upon an earlier non-binding proposal. He has indicated that the lease "will ultimately be 'bigger than baseball' because of its potential for a partnership with the team to redevelop the stadium area." However, there has been political opposition to the proposal and concerns have been raised about keeping the Orioles in Baltimore and what the development will look like for the city. 

"Obtaining state approval for ballclub benefits can be politically tricky," said Irwin.

“Navigating the political waters here is extremely important, and a lot of that is done behind the scenes,” Irwin said. “Typically a governor, when they get involved, has a good sense of the politics — that’s why he’s governor — and a good sense of how to manage these things.”

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