Jackson rejects bids for soccer park work

The momentum that was building for the completion of Jackson's new soccer park was knocked back temporarily Tuesday night as the board of aldermen unanimously rejected a bid that came in far higher than the city is willing to spend.

The Jackson Soccer Park Association secured a $115,000 federal grant for the city to use on the 25-acre park, which the city took ownership of at Tuesday's meeting.

City administrator Jim Roach said the bids that were opened earlier in the day came in at more than $200,000.

Jack Litzelfelner Jr., president of the park association, said he didn't view the bid rejection as a setback. More like a starting point.

"For months we've been waiting for these bids just to see how much it would cost us," said Litzelfelner following the meeting. "Now we know where we're at. Now we can prioritize. We're still going to have a great soccer park. It would've been great if the bids came in for less than what the grant was worth, but I don't think anyone thought that would happen."

Litzelfelner thought a new bid proposal could be put together for approval as early as the next board of aldermen meeting on Sept. 20.

Work remaining to be done includes fine grading, seeding, irrigation and plumbing.

"We've got to get seed in the ground to take advantage of the fall and spring rain," he said. "So we need to move quickly."

The soccer park has been several years in the making and has experienced several setbacks. However, most of the park has been funded without using local tax dollars. Parents raised roughly $120,000. The city provided electric and water to the park and will maintain the park once it's built. Plans call for 16 fields, concessions and parking.

Planners still hope to have at least some fields ready for play by next spring.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635