Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which set off the retro craze in MLB ballpark design, may be in line for its first major overhaul as the club looks to keep up with innovations in game-day experiences as well as growth around the park in downtown Baltimore.
Several parts of the park, including Eutaw Street, the festive food court that spawned similar outfield destinations at 12 other MLB parks, could undergo dramatic changes, according to a request for proposals for concessions and merchandise that the Orioles sent to prospective partners. The RFP was not made public, but a copy was obtained by SportsBusiness Journal.
The Orioles have partnered with Aramark on food and merchandise since Camden Yards opened in 1992, but they plan to interview several firms for a multiyear contract starting in 2010 in an effort to revitalize the facility.
The time is right to take a fresh look at improving the ballpark, said concessions consultant John Sergi. Camden Yards is approaching 20 years old and is now competing to a certain degree with Nationals Park in Washington, which opened in 2008.
“They’ve also had issues on the field,” said Sergi, who was hired by the Mets and Dodgers to upgrade their concessions but is not working with the Orioles. “You add those things up and the result is a new spin on food and a physical refresh.”
Eutaw Street, beyond the outfield wall at
Camden Yards, has been copied around MLB.
The club recently rehired Janet Marie Smith, an urban planner principally involved in Camden Yards’ initial development. It’s another indication the Orioles are getting serious about sprucing up their stadium and the game-day experience beyond the minor touchups of the past 17 seasons.
“That signals that it’s probably something related to paying attention to that building,” Sergi said. “Any time she shows up, there’s some energy going on.”
Orioles officials declined to talk about the information contained in the proposal.
The RFP says the team’s goal is to work with their partner to develop a new “plan of action” for Eutaw Street and other food stands in the bullpen areas and main concourse.
In addition, the party areas and day-of-game suite rentals on the club level “may be candidates for a total overhaul and new fan experience,” the document said. The document says the upgrades could be undertaken “all at once or phased over two or more years.”
The old railroad warehouse in right field, the ballpark’s most recognizable feature, has three restaurants operated by Aramark that could use a makeover, the RFP said. A permanent restaurant “might be possible” to replace picnic areas by the bullpen and at the back of the batter’s eye.
Ultimately, the food and retail provider will help “determine what the most favorable range of improvements will be to the ballpark … to reflect the changing profile and culture of downtown Baltimore as well as the changing nature of the in-the-park experience that supports the game,” it said.
Submissions are due this week. Firms showing initial interest included Legends Hospitality Management, co-owned by AL East rival the New York Yankees.
The Orioles’ food and retail numbers contained in the RFP (see chart) fall squarely in the middle of the pack in MLB, Sergi said. “You could paint these revenue projections elsewhere with a few exceptions,” he said.
 | Concessions and merchandise sales |
| 2009 (through July 1) | 2008 | 2007 |
| Games | Turnstile | Games | Turnstile | Games | Turnstile |
| 44 | 926,329 | 80 | 1,611,421 | 81 | 1,764,481 |
| | Net sales | Per cap | Net sales | Per cap | Net sales | Per cap |
| Gen. concessions | $9,301,691 | $10.04 | $16,236,207 | $10.08 | $17,189,061 | $9.74 |
| Club-level concessions | $469,576 | $0.51 | $877,081 | $0.54 | $1,103,009 | $0.63 |
| Branded concessions | $162,289 | $0.18 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Catering sales | $572,423 | $0.62 | $1,302,554 | $0.81 | $642,083 | $0.36 |
| Suite sales | $654,931 | $0.71 | $1,686,927 | $1.05 | $1,826,634 | $1.04 |
| Cafeteria & deli bars | $647,581 | $0.70 | $1,196,213 | $0.74 | $1,352,779 | $0.77 |
| Candy | $46,366 | $0.05 | $85,237 | $0.05 | $94,875 | $0.05 |
| Merchandise | $1,766,190 | $1.91 | $2,841,039 | $1.76 | $3,055,857 | $1.73 |
| Total | $13,621,047 | $14.70 | $24,225,258 | $15.03 | $25,264,298 | $14.32 |
| Source: Baltimore Orioles RFPStadium club net sales were not included in the chart. |
