By Megan Pillow

Plans for Mooresville’s proposed downtown-area soccer complex are moving forward a little slower than anticipated.

At their meeting last week, town board members agreed to have Town Attorney Steve Gambill and Interim Town Manager Erskine Smith work with the Mooresville Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) to develop an agreement on how the multi-field soccer complex — proposed for the 23-acre historic Brawley Mansion property north of downtown — should be developed and paid for.

Gambill and Smith will draft a Memorandum of Understanding and a repayment plan, which will outline the exact details. CVB officials hope to be able to put six fields on the land, but that is contingent upon purchasing six additional acres abutting the current property.

Planning Director Tim Brown said the town’s planning department needs more time to study the layout of the land before committing to the proposed number of fields. “We can’t guarantee what the land can support,” he said.

The CVB purchased the property, which was put up for auction because its former owner went bankrupt in February. At the time, Ron Johnson, chairman of the CVB, said he hoped that construction could begin in early April and be complete by the end of the summer. Johnson estimated the land, construction of the fields, and parking would cost between $1.2 million and $1.5 million.

The financial arrangements for the complex have not been finalized, but a likely plan is for the CVB and town to share the cost of the purchase or development of the land and that in 15 years the town would take over ownership of the property.

Officials said the project will not use recreation bond money, which is earmarked for several proposed town parks.

Another condition of the project is that the 1902-era Brawley Mansion will be kept intact. The Mooresville Historic Preservation Commission is exploring landmark designation status for the mansion.

Johnson said that the project is making progress. “We’re doing everything we need to do to make an informed decision,” he said.

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