Tampa Bay Rays will listen to developer's pitch for a new baseball stadium

ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays are going to City Hall.

The Rays have accepted an invitation to attend a presentation by developer Darryl LeClair, who wants to build a baseball stadium in the Carillon business park.

Team owner Stuart Sternberg sent a letter to the City Council on Thursday, saying "members of the Rays organization will attend."

The team, he said, is attending as a courtesy to the council and still doesn't want to be tied to any one site for a potential stadium.

"We will consider any potential ballpark site in Tampa Bay, but only as part of the process that considers every ballpark site in Tampa Bay," Sternberg wrote.

The presentation could occur next month before the City Council and Pinellas County Commission.

The city of St. Petersburg sent a formal invitation to the team last Friday. The letter offered to change the team's contract with the city to allow the Rays to negotiate with LeClair's company, CityScape, or others about a new stadium — as long as the site was in St. Petersburg or adjacent land in the Gateway area.

Council Chair Leslie Curran said the Rays' reply is a step in the right direction.

"I do see this as positive," she said. "I am pleased to hear they will be sending someone to see the presentation."

Mark Puente can be reached at mpuente@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8459. Follow him at Twitter at twitter.com/markpuente.