WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) – Wausau's parks committee has approved a measure to start acquiring the proposed Holtz Krause soccer complex in conjunction with the county.

The committee's vote tonight both frees up the city's community development department to help lead the effort, as well as authorizes contract negotiations to start.

Mayor Jim Tipple says the move is a natural one. “We've got a very good relationship with the county, and this is just a very good indication of how we need to work and want to work with the county.” Tipple says that the city is planning to help the county purchase the property and then turn it over to the county to operate in the future.

The county's parks commission voted last week to move forward with the process of buying the property. The committee that currently controls the cleanup of the property is hoping to sell it to either Wausau or the County after they build it.