BALTIMORE — The labor negotiation drama is over. Now Major League Baseball players can focus on the next task — playing games.
The players' union and owners agreed Thursday to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, just in time to save a full 162 game schedule.
MLB players, owners reach deal to end lockout, salvage 162-game season
The 2022 season is slated to begin on April 7.
Here in Baltimore, that means fans can finally head out to Camden Yards, grab a hot dog, a cold drink and take in the hometown Orioles. The Orioles return home to Camden Yards on April 11 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
That also means a boom for businesses near the stadium.
Several business owners near Camden Yards told WMAR-2 they are ready for the season and the traffic that comes with it.
"Business is like a rollercoaster these days, it all depends on what comes to the city," said Tony Assadi, CEO of Luna Del Sea Bistro.
Empty establishments have been hurting businesses for the past two years due to the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, with opening day just a few weeks away, business owners say they are optimistic about the flow of traffic the Orioles will bring downtown to the stadium and it their business
"Oh, we are happy about it, no doubt," Assadi said. "We look forward to opening day. It is one of our busiest days of the year. Any type of event like the Orioles boost our business because we have got people coming in like before, when everything was normal in the city."
Assadi said that on a normal day, they service about 20 customers on a slow day. And during the pandemic, business has been so slow they are operating with 10 percent less staff than they normally would, which is why they are looking to the brighter days when the Orioles will play.
"Any team that comes in town draws baseball fans and we love them," Assadi said. "They've been helping our business and supporting our business the past 20 years."
The Orioles returned to spring training in Sarasota, Florida. They play their first exhibition game on March 18.
