Aquila still plans a $40 million sports complex in Vicksburg — but not at Halls Ferry Park.

The investor group that negotiated privatization of the city’s youth baseball programs threw the curve ball Tuesday, saying it was no longer interested in undertaking the complete redesign of the array of ball fields south and west of The Home Depot. Results of a state environmental study were cited as a factor. A portion of the Halls Ferry complex was once a city landfill.

“We will relocate the sports complex and, within the next 45 days, we will go back to the city to amend the agreement,” said Kristi Pantin, director of marketing for Aquila, headed by local businesswoman Tammy Davenport.

Plans to move came after Aquila met with city officials Tuesday to discuss issues, most of which were not made public.

In July 2007, city officials announced they had agreed to pay a refundable $250,000 to Florida-based USA Partners Sports Alliance, a company helping Aquila secure financing for the complex. If the study didn’t prove it would be feasible to build a sustainable sports megaplex here, the money would be returned to the city in 90 days, the agreement said. An extension was granted in September, giving Aquila until December to present the study, but more delays with the environmental study, ordered by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, set the feasibility study back even longer. In the interim, South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman said the city was committed to the privatization approach, regardless of what the study showed.

As of today, Aquila is to present its findings at the end of next month.

Megaplex aside, the group has started league play management. Formerly separate city and county baseball leagues, the Vicksburg Baseball Association and Culkin Athletic Association have joined forces as the Vicksburg Warren Athletic Association. The VWAA is handling its own operations while looking to Aquila as a sort of administrator to take on tasks, such as scheduling umpires and issuing equipment. Also, Aquila, through an agreement with the city, has taken over management of Halls Ferry Park, and will continue as the contract manager.

“We will keep Halls Ferry Park as an outdoor recreation area and make improvements,” Pantin said.

The management agreement with the city, made in January, leaves the Vicksburg Parks and Recreation Department to maintain fields with payment being made to Aquila, who will schedule use at a cost of $260 per team. The city, on April 7, approved a $22,360 payment to the group, which reflected the 60 baseball teams and 26 softball teams that will play this season. According to the agreement, the city will pay the fee once a year, said Beauman, a former parks and recreation director.

Pantin indicated, once another site for the complex is developed, fields may no longer fill the 66-acre tract of land originally slated for the complex. The land, which, in addition to fields, has tennis courts, will continue to offer outdoor recreation, she said, although details were not clear.

“Whether it will be owned by the city or Aquila is to be determined,” she said. Aquila also has plans to further its role to encompass all youth sports.

Pantin said, besides the location, plans for the complex — originally planned to cost $25 million, but since increased to as much as $40 million — will remain the same. The plan all along has been for the group to provide up to 16 baseball and softball fields, a welcome center and handicapped-accessible fencing and equipment. A lodge with condos and a chapel have also been identified as being part of the plan.

The city still owns 200 acres of undeveloped land off Fisher Ferry, purchased several years ago for $325,000 and earmarked to receive $4 million from the city’s most recent bond project to create a sports facility. Plans for recreational development have been on hold while Aquila moves forward. Pantin would not say whether Aquila planned to use that land.