ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays withdrew Thursday from a $1.3 billion project to construct a new ballpark adjacent to Tropicana Field, citing a hurricane and delays that likely drove up the proposal’s cost.

After nearly two decades toiling for a new stadium, the Tampa Bay Rays finally struck a deal that ensured their long-term future in St. Petersburg. Thursday, they walked away, leaving $730 million in public funding on the table and the future of the franchise very much in doubt.