DEMOPOLIS &8212; After receiving funding commitments from both the City of Demopolis and the Demopolis Board of Education, the dream of a new sports complex for athletes is working its way towards fruition.

From its initial birth as the brainchild of the Demopolis Football Boosters, the plan of a facility housing a new stadium and other sports complexes has steadily gained ground among the community and its leaders. The project is currently in the design stage as architects at McKee and Associates in Montgomery work with Athletic Director Tom Causey to facilitate the projected needs for facility.

Much of the funds being used for the project will come from a board pledge of $100,000 a year for 20 years from its capital outlay, though it may use some from a bond issue, and $2 million from the city that will be included in the upcoming bond issue for city projects. Though the funding from the city and board has recently been approved, $100,000 in seed money has already been used to begin the design process of the project.

Hill said, though architects are currently working on the plans, once they are completed they must be sent to the state building commission for approval, which takes a set amount of time. Once they are approved the board must issue a formal bid, which will allow contractors around 30 days to compile a bid, and then choose the bid they find best suits the system&8217;s needs.

Part of the project will also include renovations of Memorial Stadium to adjust the complex to its new use. The structure will become part of the middle school, providing an area for school recreation and other public uses.

The estimated cost of the new construction portion of the project, according to reports from the architects, will run around $3.5 million. This will include field houses, concession stands, facilities, a track and soccer field, stadium and press boxes.