MARSHALL — Plans for the city of Marshall’s new Aquatic Center took another major step forward Tuesday. Marshall City Council members authorized advertising for bids for construction of the project.

The city will be accepting sealed bids until 2 p.m. on August 29. After that, the bids will be publicly opened and read. If the bids are acceptable, they will come back to the council on September 10, said Marshall City Administrator Sharon Hanson.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, representatives from Stockwell Engineering were present to discuss the overall concept and construction bid package for the aquatic center. Materials included in the council agenda packet gave cost estimates for both the base bid and possible alternates that could be added to the project.

The total cost estimate for construction, including items like grading, water and sewer work, landscaping, aquatics and building structures, came to a total of about $16.5 million. Additional costs, including safety equipment, concessions equipment, and construction administration, brought the total base bid project costs to about $18.95 million.

There were a total of seven possible alternates that could be added to the project. Those items included features like a body slide, a water walk, climbing walls and shade structures for the Aquatic Center, as well as a privacy wall screening the center from Highway 19. Another possible alternate would include demolition of the existing Aquatic Center, at an estimated cost of about $330,000.

All together, the alternates came to an estimated cost of about $1.27 million.

Council members voted to advertise for bids for the new Aquatic Center.

Discussion of a new city aquatic center has been ongoing in Marshall for the past six years. A 2018 study found deficiencies with the current aquatic Center, including water leaking at a rate of 12,000 to 15,000 gallons a day. Other issues included a lack of ADA accessibility, and deteriorating mechanical and electrical systems.

In 2023, Marshall got approval from the state Legislature to hold a vote on whether to extend the city sales tax to raise $18.37 million in funds for a new aquatic center. That vote passed in November, and design work began for a new aquatic center near the corner of College Drive and Saratoga Street.

Community donors and organizations have also reached out to help pay for some of the additional costs of the project beyond what the sales tax raises. To date, around $600,000 has been received or pledged towards the new center.