Members of both the Budget and Finance Committee and the Parks and Recreation Committee endorsed a resolution promising to give the money once Mayor Larry Langford identifies a source for the funds. The full council must approve the resolution.

The 21-acre park should be complete by Dec. 31.

This matches the public investment with the private sector's investment," said project manager HB Brantley after the meeting. "This allows us to complete our funding equation for the project."

 The private, nonprofit Railroad Park Foundation will operate and maintain the park under an agreement with the city. 

 "The mayor's office and this council have been stalwart supporters of this project and we look forward to delivering a park to this community by the end of the year," said foundation President Giles Perkins.

The linear park, which will run between 14th and 18th streets from First Avenue South to the railroad tracks near Morris Avenue, will be bordered by residential and commercial development.

Moving it forward:

The $22 million first phase of the project is funded by $12.5 million from the city and Jefferson County and $10 million in private money.

"I think it's a great project," said Councilwoman Maxine Parker, chairwoman of the parks and recreation committee. "I didn't see any harm in that when we're that far along in the project. Let's go ahead and get the project forward so we can move forward."

The council's support for an amphitheater comes more than a year after Langford pledged a $5 million matching grant if the foundation was able to raise enough money to finance the rest of the project's first phase.

An amphitheater was planned during a later phase of the park, but Langford's challenge would complete it much sooner.

"To do it without an amphitheater is like barbecue without the spare ribs," he said Monday. "Let's get this one right the first time."

The foundation met its fundraising requirement, and the amphitheater now is planned to be built between 17th and 18th streets along First Avenue South.

Funding options:

Langford said there are several options for the city to come up with its funding, with the most practical being to use downtown's designation as a tax increment financing district. In a TIF district, when property owners upgrade their land or buildings, they are assessed higher taxes and the extra money is used to improve infrastructure in the district.

Langford suggests that the city issue new bonds for the TIF district to pay for both downtown paving and the new amphitheater.

The council last month approved spending $6.5 million for downtown paving from the general fund. The mayor said that money would be reimbursed once the TIF bonds were sold.

"Expanding the TIF to include the Railroad Park is a novel idea," said Council President Carole Smitherman. "However, if there is any way we can put it in the budget for this year and pay as we go, I would support that, too."

Smitherman also said the city should consider moving money from slower-moving projects to fund the amphitheater, then replace those funds when needed.

"We can actually take some money from another project that is not shovel-ready and transfer it to the Railroad Park," she said. "For example, we can probably use some dome money."