SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Baseball's options for the Montreal Expos may be limited by the soft national economy.

Baseball owners said this week that financing for a new ballpark would be a big part of the equation.

The commissioner's office on Friday started setting up meetings with communities interested in obtaining the Expos for the 2004 season.

The initial meetings are likely to take place in the last two weeks of January, but no dates have been set. Baseball is expected to send letters to the communities next week with additional details.

"Is there a long line forming to deal with us? Probably not at this point," Expos president Tony Tavares said. "It's a smaller line than we would have gotten if we were in a better economic climate."

The Expos were bought by the other 29 teams last year from Jeffrey Loria, who purchased the Florida Marlins. Selig formed a committee in November to find a permanent solution, and owners were given an update on plans Thursday as a two-day meeting ended.

Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said the committee "received a report from preliminary contacts with communities that expressed interest and discussed moving forward and having discussions with those communities."

Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Portland, Ore., are the leading candidates to obtain the franchise, but other communities will be involved because baseball wants to develop contacts for possible moves by other teams in later years.

Selig refused to say whether 2003 would be the last season in Montreal for the Expos, who began play in 1969. The team has drawn poorly in recent years at Olympic Stadium and has made the playoffs just once, in 1981.

"Ask me that question as the year goes on, and I'll give it a more definitive answer," he said. "Nothing is for certain right now.''

While District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams has pledged money for a ballpark, funding needs City Council approval. Northern Virginia and Portland also would have to put financing in place.

With governments trying to cut budget deficits, financing for any ballpark may be difficult. Both Washington-area groups would have the Expos play at RFK Stadium until a new ballpark is built.

In Portland, the team would play in 2004 at PGE Park, currently home of the Triple-A Portland Beavers. The ballpark's capacity is 19,566 and it has 38 luxury boxes.

Communities are waiting to hear from baseball.

"We'll be ready when they are," said Bobby Goldwater, president of the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission.

The Expos will play 22 home games this year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to increase revenue.