Northport Purchases Land For Proposed Water Park/Sportsplex

NORTHPORT, AL — The Northport City Council on Thursday unanimously approved the purchase of 151 acres off of Rose Boulevard that could one day become the site of a proposed aquatic center and youth sports tournament facility.

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While the highly-anticipated recreational offerings still have a long road to fruition, Thursday's decision represented a crucial first step in securing a large enough tract of land to support such an endeavor.

City Administrator Glenda Webb said the city was instructed by consultants to begin seeking out potential locations, before officials reached out to Black Warrior Solid Waste Disposal Authority, who offered the property for sale.

"We are very fortunate with the Northport First funds, we have cash on hand to be able to purchase this property for recreational uses," she said.

The total cost of the land itself came out to roughly $700,000, with the money coming from the city's Northport First Fund. This consists of revenue generated by the city's 1-cent sales tax.

"This purchase price is roughly $4,600 an acre in the city limits of Northport and with this being purchased without borrowing, this is a very good item for the city to consider," Council President Jeff Hogg said.

As Patch first reported earlier this week, the land is located in the area surrounding Tuscaloosa County's E911 operations center, which is positioned east of Rose Boulevard and west of 7oth Avenue in Northport.

The project is still very much in its infancy, however, as it will now enter the planning and conceptual phases. With that in mind, no concrete monetary figures have been mentioned by public officials with respect to the anticipated price tags for either project.

Patch reported in May when the City Council received the results of a feasibility study conducted for the two projects, both of which received favorable recommendations from consultants with respect to the city's ability to support one or both projects.

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