The council approved a resolution declaring its intent to enter a development agreement with M and M LLC, of Ankeny, for the construction of the $13 million facility on the west side of the former Crossroads Mall property. Councilman Quennel McCaleb was absent from the otherwise unanimous vote to approve the measure.

That resolution was the first of a handful of actions the council will take on the project. Most of those actions will be related to the millions of dollars in aid the city government will give the developer.

The proposal calls for $2.65 million from a bond issue next year, plus five annual payments of $275,000 beginning in 2026. The money for the annual payments will come from sales tax revenue generated at Corridor Plaza.

City Manager David Fierke said the project would not happen without the financial help from the local government. He said without the incentives the alternatives would be no sports pavilion or one paid for entirely by the city.

-Submitted image
The rear of the planned $13 million sports facility is shown in this image provided by the city of Fort Dodge. Construction could begin this fall and take about a year to finish.

“It’s a nice win for us in that we don’t have to build our own,” he said Monday afternoon. “We have a private investor willing to do it.”

Fierke said the sports pavilion will help “create a dynamic place” that will draw people.

“This is a key element to create a destination that people are going to go to for activities,” he said.

The city staff has been working with M and M LLC for about six months, according to Fierke. That firm has similar sports pavilions in Ankeny and North Liberty.

The 200-foot-by-250-foot facility will sit on the west side of Corridor Plaza on ground that has long been identified as the spot for a pavilion and plaza. Its entrance will face east.

Inside, there will be four basketball courts, three pickleball courts and a microbrewery restaurant.

The developer, not the city, will operate the facility.

Construction could begin this fall and take about a year to complete.

Future items to come before the council will include a development agreement with M and M LLC and a measure to add the site to the Center City and Industrial Park Urban Renewal Areas so that tax increment financing can be used to provide some of the city’s incentive money.