POST FALLS — Post Falls may soon have a new park and sports complex if it swaps land with the developers of the Tullamore neighborhood.

Post Falls Parks Director Dave Fair received the city council’s approval Tuesday night to move forward on a land swap deal with Copper Basin, the developer of the Tullamore subdivision.

Fair told the council that Copper River is willing to give the city 25 acres of land on the southeast corner of Cecil Road and Prairie Avenue in exchange for park amenities and the 6.4-acre Tullamore Park, located within the subdivision.

The park amenities would cost the city $496,450 and the 25 acres would cost Copper River $613,500, Fair told the council.

The city would use the 25-acre parcel for a new sports complex with four adult softball fields and could also include fields for soccer and other outdoor sports.

If the deal goes through, the city would be required to start building out Tullamore Park with irrigation, turf, landscaping, shelters, restrooms and a playground.

Fair said construction of that park would begin next year, but the sports complex would be phased in over the next five years.

The complex would require Copper river to do about $150,000 worth of rough grading, utility work, and hardscaping, which includes sidewalks, paths and parking lots for both Tullamore Park and the sports complex.

Fair said once the hardscaping is completed the city would have to spend an additional $1.6 to $2.1 million to complete the sports complex.

“It's a win-win for everyone,” Fair said, adding the city has enough impact fee money set aside to complete the project. “That’s what the money is supposed to be spent on.”

Fair said the swap would result in a new park and playground for the residents of Tullamore, who have been promised a park for the past 10 years. It would benefit the developer by possibly sparking interest in some of its 50 acres of commercial property in the development.

Fair said Copper River’s commercial property has attracted zero interest because it sits next to a gravel pit, but if the pit is replaced by a sports complex which draws hundreds of people per event, that could attract business to the area.

Fair said the city will benefit by completing two priority park projects.

Mayor Ron Jacobson said he liked the plan because it will deliver a new park which has been promised to the Tullamore residents.

“People who bought there expected a park, and that will be accomplished with the land swap,” he said.

Councilman Alan Wolfe liked the idea of swap, as long as the 25 acres traded to the city do not have any deed restrictions on them.

“I want to make sure the land is available to do anything we want with it,” he said, explaining he didn’t want the city find itself in a future financial crisis while holding a piece of property that could only be used for a sports complex.

After some discussion, Councilwoman Linda Wilhelm made the motion to move forward with the land acquisition so long as there are no deed restrictions attached to the land. The motion passed unanimously.