A couple of years in the works, a plan to build a new Rays ballpark in the Gateway area of St. Pete was revealed Friday afternoon by developer Darryl LeClair.

His company CityScape was granted the time to present its plans to the St. Pete City Council, which seemed impressed as was Mayor Bill Foster.

However the Rays did not have much of a response. In fact it was a prepared statement, and notably not from team owner Stu Sternberg, who has maintained he won't acknowledge any Pinellas plans until St. Pete gives its permission to look at Hillsborough alternatives.

"We are glad people are taking an active interest in the long-term future of baseball in the Tampa Bay area," read the statement from Rays VP for development and business affairs Michael Kalt. "We look forward to having more discussions take place like this throughout the region

Foster, who famously is sticking to the Rays' lease agreement which keeps them at Tropicana Field through 2027, gushed over the plans which center around the Carillon business park. CityScape's renderings showed an impressive 35,000 stadium which could be viewable from outside the actual structure thanks to a transparent outfield wall.

LeClair is risking that his hard work goes on deaf ears. He says he would need 4-5 days to explain his plans fully to Sternberg.

And the Tampa Bay Times asked Foster what would happen if the Rays refuse to have such a listening session with LeClair: "Then we're done. The city is obligated to 15 more years of the team playing at the Trop." 

Click HERE for the full story and photos of the proposal thanks to the Times.