City Weighs Partnership with Private Developers on Northport Shore Complex

Elected officials in Northport will soon weigh partnering with private developers on another of their signature recreation projects, city officials confirmed Friday.

On the same day the city announced plans for a groundbreaking at the River Run Park sports complex, they also published the agenda for their Monday night city council meeting.

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On that agenda, there is a resolution authorizing City Administrator Glenda Webb to enter into an Exclusive Dealings Agreement with a just-formed company named Northport Sports Complex Development, LLC.

City Engineer Tera Tubbs explained to the Thread that Northport issued a Request for Proposals in December, looking for a private developer to partner with on development,
management, operations and maintenance of the Northport Shore complex, which will contain River Run Park and much more.

She said as the complex is developed, the city is looking for continuity in its management, so one group arranging baseball tournaments doesn't conflict with some other company booking Northport Shore's indoor components.

Tubbs said four different groups issued proposals, and they included experts across multiple fields from all over the United States. Tubbs said the city's aquatics and parks subcommittee interviewed all four and reviewed their proposals, and unanimously recommended partnering with Northport Sports Complex Development, LLC.

Although public records have little available on the new company, Tubbs said its leaders have experience with the development of Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield, Indiana.

The consideration comes two weeks and one meeting after the city council rushed through agreeing to partner with Texas developers on a sprawling $350 million lagoon resort called University Beach despite vocal and near-universal opposition.

If the council approves the resolution on the agenda Monday, city administrator Glenda Webb will begin negotiating with the private developers to iron out what the LLC will develop, operate, manage and maintain and what, if any, aspects the city will continue to control.

For more on the process as it unfolds, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.