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Palm Beach Post (Florida)
Palm Beach Gardens is looking for a private partner to design, build and operate an indoor sportsplex at the new The Gardens North County District Park.
The $13.6 million park with seven lighted multipurpose fields, plus playgrounds, walking trails and a splash pad, is under construction on 117th Court North near Timber Trace Elementary School and the city tennis center. Palm Beach Gardens expects to finish the first phase next fall, city spokeswoman Candice Temple said.
The second phase is the development of the indoor recreation facility. The complex should accommodate basketball, volleyball, pickleball, gymnastics, cheerleading, wrestling and martial arts, according to Palm Beach Gardens' request for proposals.
The city wants a long-term partner who can build and operate the indoor rec complex without any money or credit from the city.
Some members of an advisory committee said a wellness facility with room for yoga, spin and other classes was the best use for the indoor recreation complex. The committee also discussed a rock-climbing wall, an indoor track and classrooms for wellness classes, according to the request for proposals.
In addition to Palm Beach Gardens and Palm Beach County, nine northern Palm Beach County municipalities and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission have representatives on the advisory committee, Temple said.
A committee of city staff and community members with the appropriate expertise will rank the proposals, which are due in December. The city expects to finish evaluating proposals in March and award a contract in the spring. The city council must approve any contract.
Palm Beach Gardens is building the first phase of the district park on about 40 acres of 82 that Palm Beach County owns near the city's Joseph R. Russo Athletic Complex and the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center. The city leases the land for $10 per year.
The first phase includes a 4-acre lake, large concession stand and a meeting room, along with the multipurpose fields, two of which were added to the original plan. There also will be restrooms and pavilions.
Palm Beach Gardens is paying for the park with money generated by the penny sales tax increase approved by voters in November 2016.
[email protected] Twitter: @Speters09
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