The USA have failed in their attempt to host matches at the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean.
The International Cricket Council announced on Monday the eight venues in the West Indies to host games.
But Florida in the USA, Bermuda, one of the two Jamaica bids and St Vincent and Grenadines all missed out.
The full tournament schedule for the World Cup, which will be held between February and April 2007, will be confirmed on 13 July.
ICC president Ehsan Mani said the USA was attractive from a development point of view and could host warm-up matches.
But he added: “Based on the strict criteria used for this event, it was eliminated.”
Mani admitted security concerns and visa difficulties had also played a part in the decision.
The successful bidders were Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica’s Sabina Park, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Trinidad.
Bermuda has been awarded tournament warm-up matches and has been recommended as an alternative venue if any match needs to be relocated.
Both Guyana and Antigua will build new cricket grounds in time for the cricket showpiece and all other grounds will undergo substantial upgrades.
Estimates put potential revenue for the West Indies Cricket Board at £54.6m.
“It will be a Caribbean event with a distinctive Caribbean flavour,” Teddy Griffith, head of the WICB, said.
Griffith said negotiations were underway with the various national governments over a possible “cricket passport”, which would ease worries over the movement of fans and players between countries.
He also admitted floating hotels, with as many as 800 rooms each, could be used in smaller cities.
This is good for the game. The new ‘cricket’ that has recently sprung up in the States shows that their public isn’t ready
There will be four first round groups, with the top two from each progressing to a new Super 8 second round format.
Mani played down fears that the tournament might again be too long.
“The format is much better than last time,” he said.
“There are more teams but more meaningful matches.”