There's already uncertainty about whether or not the local legislature will approve bonds, and now the Rays have to decide how ready they are to commit to this project.

Imagine owning a team worth $1.25 billion. You’ve worked for years on a new ballpark, only to see it wiped out. Welcome to the joys of owning the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Tampa Bay Rays must declare by this weekend if they want to pursue their plan to build a new ballpark or not, a county official said.

Engineers completed an assessment of hurricane damage to the team's current ballpark, but plans to build a new $1.3-billion stadium could be falling apart.

Tampa Bay is scheduled to play 13 of its first 16 games at home and 47 of 59 through May 28, then play 69 of its last 103 games on the road. The Rays are home for eight of 25 games in July and eight of 26 in August.

The Tampa Bay Rays should declare in writing whether they want to pursue an existing financing plan for a new $1.3 billion ballpark or walk away from the deal