LOWELL -- Life Wellness USA officials said a regional sports complex is still in the works for Lowell despite the company being behind schedule.
Officials from the Alabama company said in February that they could break ground on the $30 million facility in June. City officials later said it would happen in September.
Richard Hutzler, Life Wellness USA director, said the company is still committed to building in Lowell. A presentation on project updates will be made to the City Council in October, he said. The company canceled plans to make presentations to the council in August and September.
The City Council approved a 25-year lease with the company in February. The agreement allows the company to lease 30 acres from Lowell for $1 a year.
The company previously told the city it plans to build a 220,000-square-foot facility that will house basketball and volleyball courts, soccer fields, an Olympic-sized pool and therapy center.
Hutzler said Friday that the plans have changed some in recent months. The changes aren't substantial, but should add more outdoor courts to the plan, he said. He declined to go into detail about the new plans or share a timeline before presenting to the City Council.
Construction was delayed while the city waited for a Cave Springs land study to be released, Hutzler said.
The Cave Springs Karst Study was released by the Ozark Underground Laboratory in July. It said that development in some areas in the region can negatively affect an endangered population of blind Ozark cavefish.
City officials needed to review the study before construction could start, Hutzler said. It was determined the sports complex would not need to change any of its plans, he said.
The lease agreement with the city said the company can lease 30 acres of the 100-acre Kathleen Johnson Memorial Park. The park is at the intersection of West Monroe Avenue and Bellview Street just off Interstate 49.
City officials have estimated the cost of extending infrastructure to the park site. They estimate it could cost between $5 million and $10 million to build water, sewer and roads to the property.
Mayor Eldon Long said the city most likely will partner with Life Wellness USA to extend infrastructure into the park.
"We have not had those final discussions on how those expenses would be shared," Long said. "There have been different plans we have looked at. All of these different options have different price tags."
Extending infrastructure to the park will be beneficial for more than just the sports complex, Long said.
The city is in the early design process of developing the park. The park could include a splash pad, small amphitheater, disc golf course, veterans memorial and history museum.
Costs for developing the park are still being researched, Long said. Estimates should be available by the end of the year, he said.
Metro on 09/28/2015