Maryland state government recently launched an effort, dubbed “Moonshots,” to identify transformative economic initiatives. One such goal: hosting baseball’s All-Star Game.
That might not be such a long shot.
The Orioles are one of a handful of teams who have not hosted the game in three decades, meaning they’re seemingly on deck. And Camden Yards is in the midst of hundreds of millions in state-financed improvements, by far its biggest-ever upgrade, which Major League Baseball might want to reward. Discussed as a hypothetical for almost a decade, it could soon be Baltimore’s turn to welcome bevies of baseball buffs.
The nearly weeklong festivities would be one of the largest sporting events ever held here.
Still, the decision ultimately lies with MLB, which would take a comprehensive look at Baltimore, an oft-overlooked city in a league full of metropolises. MLB doesn’t owe its teams All-Star festivities — as evidenced by Tampa Bay never seeing one — and teams must apply.
The Orioles have not submitted a bid but are considering doing so, president of business operations Catie Griggs said.
“As we’re looking to the offseason, we’re taking a harder look,” she said. “I do believe there will be a window soon to focus on this.”
The Philadelphia Phillies, who will host Tuesday’s All-Star Game, secured the event in 2019 on the strength of America’s 250th anniversary. The Chicago Cubs, who have not hosted since 1990, are up next year (though the season is imperiled by possible labor strife). The Toronto Blue Jays, who last hosted in 1991, and the Athletics, who will soon have a new home in Las Vegas, are among those next in line.
The Orioles are also in the conversation, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said last year.
The city has advantages: a renovated, iconic ballpark, a relatively new ownership group keen on hosting and a walkable urban core.
But, compared to many cities with pro teams, Baltimore has fewer hotel rooms and less space for hospitality events. Some infrastructure projects — such as the Red Line — have cloudy futures, and Baltimore’s front porch, the Inner Harbor area, is expected to be under construction for the bulk of the next decade.
Hurdles are plentiful. But no city is ever perfectly ready for an event, some observers say. Plus, Baltimore showed it could handle hundreds of thousands of attendees at Sail250 last month.
“It would be huge,” Gov. Wes Moore said in March. “The All-Star Game needs to be in Baltimore.”
When selecting All-Star sites, MLB reviews interest and viability years in advance. Stadium construction, of the sort Camden Yards is undergoing, “can be a consideration,” a league spokesperson said, but MLB looks beyond the ballpark, too.
The buildup to the game includes a flurry of spread-out events. For instance, when Washington hosted in 2018, many events were held at the convention center, a couple of miles from Nationals Park.
“We value hosts that are able to bring out the best of their market and fanbase in a way that is uniquely local while also being compelling to a national audience,” the MLB spokesperson said.
Toronto’s Paul Molitor, left, and Devon White wait their turn during batting practice as part of All-Star festivities in 1993. (Carlos Osorio/AP)
The 1993 All-Star events, which celebrated the 1992 opening of Oriole Park, might be most remembered locally for Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston not playing Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina or for Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. smacking a home run off the B&O Warehouse. Off the field, Baltimore was abuzz for days.
“I’m not exaggerating: This city was on fire,” said John Moag, who would go on to serve as the Maryland Stadium Authority chair from 1995-99. “It was a freakin’ blast.”
All-Star pageantry has mushroomed to a jam-packed five-day affair including a red carpet event, the amateur draft and the MLB Futures Game, in addition to a fan festival, the Home Run Derby and the game itself.
It’s a lot. But Baltimore is capable of hosting such an event, city officials said. It came close on its 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup bid, too.
That World Cup application, a 55-page document submitted in 2017 and obtained by The Banner in an open records request, offers information that could be relevant for any large sporting event.
For example, it boasted of three major airports “within a one hour drive” — which must depend on who’s behind the wheel — Baltimore’s history as “one of the top seafood cities in the world,” and 10,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the stadiums, plus 10,000 more within a 15-minute drive or light rail trip. (World Cup teams would have stayed at the Four Seasons, Sagamore Pendry, Royal Sonesta and the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.)
MLB said it requires “thousands of hotel rooms across numerous properties,” and it takes into account how close those hotels are to events. Though some downtown hotels have recently struggled, city officials said space for lodging would not be a problem.
Event spaces are also crucial. The World Cup application listed the convention center, Power Plant Live!, Camden Yards Warehouse, World Trade Center Observation Deck, Horseshoe Casino, B&O Museum, CFG Bank Arena and Pier Six Pavilion as potential sites. Those areas, plus new ones such as renovated spaces at M&T Bank Stadium, could host ancillary events for the All-Star Game.
The Orioles threw their hat in the ring to host in 2021, when MLB sought a last-minute replacement for Atlanta, and the possibility of a Baltimore All-Star Game has been discussed for years. Observers long pointed to the team’s dispute with the Washington Nationals regarding TV revenue as lowering the Orioles’ chances of scoring the game. (Manfred denied that in 2018.) The Angelos family, Orioles’ owners from shortly after the 1993 All-Star Game until two years ago, often butted heads with MLB.
“Our past ownership was definitely at odds with MLB for virtually their entire tenure,” Moag said, “and that is not helpful at all.”
Government support is essentially a prerequisite. The city, which would play a role in readying the area for a crowd of baseball lovers, and the state, which has paid for Camden Yards upgrades, appear to be on board.
Barry Bonds signs autographs for fans at Camden Yards. (RUSTY KENNEDY/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“Baltimore is fully supportive of the potential opportunity to host the MLB All-Star game again,” Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement, noting the city is excited to share “our unique charm with the world.”
A September 2025 state document for the ”Moonshots” initiative — obtained by The Banner in a records request — contained an “Attracting Large Sporting Events to Maryland” tab and specifically listed the 2029 MLB All-Star Game.
However, teams do not necessarily apply for a specific year. Although 2029 would likely be the earliest Baltimore would be picked to host, it might not be until the 2030s that the Orioles do so (if at all).
All-Star Games often center activity on a feature of the city, and MLB “appreciates opportunities to program venues that truly feel local and allow the League to showcase special aspects of the host market.” Baltimore’s harbor would likely be incorporated into All-Star events.
Festivities could bring a fresh boost, both psychological and economic. The Seattle Mariners were All-Star hosts in 2023, when Griggs was that team’s president of business operations, and she saw how it can take over a city “in a really cool and special way.”
“It served as a really powerful galvanizer,” she said, “for all of the incredible work being done around the city.”