City of Austin leaders went to the Mower County board Tuesday to gauge interest in partnering on the Austin Community Recreation Center.

Vision 2020 and the city are currently in negotiations on agreements that would pave the way to build a $35 million rec center at the former downtown Austin Municipal Plant.

While the city is negotiating a $200,000 to $300,000 operating agreement for the YMCA to operate the public portions of the rec center, the city asked if the county would be interested in providing $50,000 a year to make the public portions open to county residents too.

Plans call for part of the facility be a new YMCA that would only be accessible to Y members, while other parts would be publicly accessible rec center spaces, though many details are still being discussed. The facility would likely feature things like a Youth Activity Center, an indoor playground, a family aquatic center, community spaces, gyms, a gymnastics facility, workout rooms, a running track and more.

The county and city partnered to fund the former Youth Activity Center, which county officials said was seen as a way to give youth after school activities with the hopes of keeping them out of trouble.

The county referred the request to the Finance Committee.

If the county board approves the annual $50,000 contribution, it would not affect the amount of the city will potentially pay each year.

But many unknowns remain about the rec center project.

The Austin City Council is likely to discuss the operating agreement and a purchase agreement for the city to acquire the downtown plant at a May 16 work session.

However, Mayor Tom Stiehm told the county board the city and YMCA are at a bit of an impasse over the cost of day passes for the proposed YMCA portions of the facility, which were discussed at a Vision 2020 Austin Community Recreation Center committee meeting on Monday.

The Hormel Foundation has pledged $25 million to the $35 million project to acquire and build the rec center, Hormel Foods Corp. has pledged $5 million, and the final $5 million would be raised in a capital campaign.