TAMPA - Add another stop to consider along the Tampa-Orlando high-speed rail line: the Florida State Fairgrounds area.

Sandy MacKinnon, chairman of the Florida State Fair Authority, said he has approached leaders of Florida's high-speed rail initiative about putting a station at or near the fairgrounds, which fronts Interstate 4 east of Tampa.

MacKinnon made the suggestion on behalf of the Fair Authority, which controls the fairgrounds, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, he said.

He doubts the fairgrounds and casino would get a stop right away because plans for the rail line's first phase have already been set. For now, the train will stop in downtown Tampa, Lakeland and at three stations in Orlando.

But McKinnon hopes leaders of the high-speed rail initiative will save space for a fairgrounds stop in the future.

It wasn't immediately clear today what the agency overseeing design and construction would think of a fairgrounds stop. The Tribune was still trying to reach the agency, Florida Rail Enterprise, for comment.

MacKinnon mentioned the potential for a high-speed rail line at a morning meeting of the Fair Authority's long-range planning committee. The committee has been mulling a proposal for a massive development project there.

Washington, D.C.-area developer Republic Land wants to build shops, restaurants and hotels at the fairgrounds site.

Republic Land originally proposed building a Major League Baseball stadium on the site if the Tampa Bay Rays want to relocate from St. Petersburg. Lately, Republic Land hasn't been pushing the ballpark issue.

MacKinnon didn't mention any high-speed rail leaders by name, but said some people on its executive committee weren't aware the casino was drawing so many people, including chartered buses from Orlando.

The Fair Authority chairman repeated a claim that the casino has been drawing 7 million people a year, although the figure can't be independently verified.

McKinnon admitted there could be jockeying over which areas get a high-speed rail station. Some are already pushing for a Tampa International Airport stop. Too many stops could slow the train.

But from a business perspective, a station at a site that millions of people makes sense, MacKinnon said.

"Rail is coming," he said. "If this train does not succeed, it's going to be for lack of ridership."

Not surprisingly, people involved with Republic Land's proposed project support a rail stop nearby.

The plans would make the area "second to Disney" as a destination, said Dick Greco, a former mayor of Tampa who's working as a consultant on the fairgrounds proposal.

The full Fair Authority board took another step today toward redeveloping the fairgrounds, inviting other companies to submit proposals.

By law, the authority must allow others to compete with Republic Land's proposal.

One challenge will be developing the property while leaving room for parking during the annual state fair.

MacKinnon suggested some fair parking might have to be moved off-site, to places such as Netpark Tampa Bay, west of the fairgrounds on Hillsborough Avenue.

Reporter Michael Sasso can be reached at (813) 259-7865.