Less than 24 hours after Tampa City Council dealt two setbacks to the Tampa Bay Rays’ proposed $2.3 billion stadium project, Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby met Friday morning with Councilman Bill Carlson and agreed to begin meeting individually with all seven council members, according to Carlson.
Carlson said the outreach marked a long-overdue shift in the Rays’ approach after the Community Redevelopment Agency board voted unanimously last month to request direct negotiations with council members. City Hall disputed Carlson’s characterization, saying the Rays and the mayor’s office have been communicating with council members throughout the process.
“If the Rays hit the reset button today, they might have a chance,” Carlson told TBBW…