Scanning a list of properties that owed money to Baltimore authorities, Alexander Diener noticed something unusual — M&T Bank Stadium had an unpaid water bill of $5,400 and the lien on the property was up for auction.
A lien on Oriole Park at Camden Yards was on the auction list, too, also for a water bill.
At Monday’s online auction, Diener and a business partner snapped up the lien on the Ravens stadium. Another investor took the $63,500 in outstanding debt on Oriole Park. Their investments mean they have the right to take ownership of the buildings if the debts remain unpaid.
The Maryland Stadium Authority, which owns both facilities, says it had good reason for not paying the bills — it disputes their accuracy. The legal hassle it faces is likely to add to the controversy surrounding Baltimore’s program of auctioning such liens, putting many owners at risk of losing their properties.
Click here to read the rest of the story written by Ian Duncan over at the Baltimore Sun