Fifteen bids to begin clearing and groundwork on the planned sports complex off Fisher Ferry Road were received Tuesday by the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen, the lowest of which came in at $2.3 million.

“The bids that came in were very, very good. We were expecting somewhere between $4 and $6 million,” said Mayor Laurence Leyens. “In my 7 1/2 years here as mayor this is probably the most comprehensive bid process. It’s very refreshing to see 15 bids come in, and we look forward to awarding one of these.”

The low bid came from Clear River Construction Company of Jackson and the high, $4.4 million, came from Southern Rock of Brandon. All 15 will be reviewed by the appropriate departments, which will make a recommendation.

The future of public recreation facilities in the city is not clear. After buying the 200 acres of undeveloped land off Fisher Ferry Road several years ago for $325,000, the city said it would be developed into a premiere complex as money became available. In an August 2007 bond issue, $4 million of the $16.9 million total was earmarked for the first phase.

Afterward, a private entity, the Aquila Group, received $250,000 in refundable funds from the city for a feasibility study to build a for-profit $40 million sports complex to be operated under contract with the city at the site of Halls Ferry Park. At that time, South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman said the $4 million from the bond issue would go toward one project or the other, but not both.

After several delays, it was determined that Halls Ferry, portions of which are on a former city landfill, was unsuitable for redevelopment and attention returned to the Fisher Ferry site.

Leyens said today that board members will meet with Aquila next week to decide how to be refunded the $250,000 — the money could be put back into city coffers or invested further in the complex.

In addition to comprehensive grading and drainage work, the city’s specifications asked for proposals limited to work on the ball- field areas. Clear River submitted the lowest bid for that work, too, at $1.1 million. Leyens has said about 50 acres of the 200, located between St. Michael Catholic Church and Hamilton Heights subdivision, will be used for the complex.

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By Steve Sanoski  at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com

At a glance

The 15 companies bidding on the initial clearing and groundwork at the planned sports complex off Fisher Ferry Road are:

                                                       entire project               softball fields only

Camo Construction                      $3,977,396.95              $1,858,499.90

Century Construction & Realty    $2,765,964.82              $1,400,657.35

Clear River Construction             $2,381,000.44              $1,143,521.48

Dirt Works Inc.                             $4,077,963.80              $1,933,356.75

Dozer                                           $3,825,776.40              $1,845,583.87

Eutaw Construction                     $3,321,602.20              $1,665,253

Four H Construction                    $4,088,801.88              $1,939,626.43

Hemphill Construction                 $3,758,023.40              $1,967,933.15

Hill Brothers Construction            $3,486,218.30              $1,806,661

Joe McGee Construction             $2,823,340.92              $1,380,642.90

King Equipment and Dozer          $2,637,959.26              $1,250,325.98

Malouf Construction                     $3,636,396.95              $1,907,166.70

Pickett Industries                          $3,626,295.60              $1,873,229.85

Southern Rock                             $4,479,587.50              $1,989,968.50

Tanner Construction                     $2,744,068.20              $1,296,855.24