Another step was taken Monday toward construction of an aquatics center at the Mobile County Sportsplex, when the Mobile County Commission announced it would follow best management practices related to land alteration permits.

Commissioner Connie Hudson, one of the driving forces behind the aquatics center, said following the plan is a necessary administrative matter before anything else can be done.

“The project is moving forward so all is well,” Hudson said, adding that the next step is to secure bids.

“The swimming community has been doing this for over 25 years,” Hudson said, “The need has always been there and it's still growing. There's a growing interest in the swimming community. We have hundreds of young people participating in swim clubs, but we don't have the facilities, so that's been the hard part.”

Hudson said bids for the first phase of the project – a 50-metre outdoor pool with a diving well and an indoor portion with an instruction warm-up pool, lockers and restrooms – would open around July 17 and be awarded on Aug. 12.
The second phase is a short course 25 meter pool.

“It's going to boost sports tourism,” Hudson said. “We'll have a lot of tournaments here and we'll be able to compete with other cities in the state like Huntsville and Birmingham. It's very exciting and a lot of people are excited for this to happen.”
The estimated cost of the first phase of the project is $18 million to $21 million. The second phase is estimated at $8 million to $10 million.

Hudson said the second phase of the soccer complex, which is part of the Sportsplex complex, is also underway.

“We're adding four new fields,” she said, “and all of this is happening at the same time as construction on the first phase of the aquatic center, so we're going to have a lot of activity in mid-to-late August.”

Hudson said the proposed water park is still in the planning stages.

“Right now we're working with potential partners,” she said. “They're working with the Army Corps of Engineers going through the permitting process, which as you all know is a very lengthy process. We had a wetlands definition, so they had to incorporate that into any project they submitted. … This is another exciting project and I think it's going to be a great amenity for the Sportsplex.”

This story was originally Call News.