(Nebraska City) — It will be a few more weeks before Nebraska City officials consider an engineering agreement for its proposed sports complex.

Earlier this week, the Nebraska City City Council tabled the proposed contract with JEO Consulting for engineering the complex’s first phase. Plans call for building the complex on a 29-acre site at 1419 North 19th Street north of the community. Commissioners approved a land purchase for the project two year ago. Nebraska City Mayor Bryan Bequette tells KMA News phase one covers roughly half of the project.

“Phase one would be mostly grading the land, doing the final lay-in of all the amenities we want to do at the sports complex,” said Bequette. “Then, phase one would include two soccer fields with grass, goals, all of that. So, that’s the initial idea.”

Bequette, however, says no action was taken on phase one because of a slight snag involving procedures.

“As I was sitting at the meeting,” he said, “I realized that we had never come back to the council for the approval of final concept. We moved ahead with initial concept designs that our contract did for us–JEO–and we went out to the people and showed them some of the designs, and some of the things. But, I realized we had never come back to the council and gotten final approval.”

Bequette says action on phase one is expected at the council’s next regular meeting January 16th. Fundraising from the Nebraska City GREAT Foundation–which stands for Growing Regional Economic Activity Today–plus proceeds from the city’s Keno revenues will cover the engineering contract’s costs, totaling $78,500. Four ballfields, four soccer fields, concession, maintenance and storage buildings, plus restrooms and parking are proposed for the entire project.

Source: KMAland.com, Mike Peterson 1/6/23
https://www.kmaland.com/news/nebraska-city-sports-complex-plans-hit-snag/article_e5de2ea4-8ddc-11ed-a002-df5c51ae9ca5.html