Marietta City Council president Susan Vessels, right, distributes additional documentation prior to the Public, Lands and Buildings, Finance and Employee Relations Committee meeting. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Marietta City Council’s Lands, Buildings and Parks Committee is exploring options to address the ongoing financial challenges of operating the municipal Aquatic Center, including the possibility of privatizing the facility or finding an appropriate pool management group to place a bid on the facility.

According to the Request for Proposal document from the city, the provider for the property would need to maintain all operations of the pool and would operate the Marietta Family Aquatic Center for the 2025 and 2026 pool seasons.

In a recent Marietta Lands, Buildings and Parks meeting, officials discussed the center’s financial performance, which has seen significant losses in recent years. According to Councilmember Michael Scales, the city lost $41,000 last year after eliminating the on-site concession stand, down from $64,000 in losses the prior year.

During the meeting another option was put onto the floor: Whether a private company could better manage and operate the aquatic center more profitably.

“A private company will try harder to do better when they have an investment in it,” said Councilmember Jon Grimm.

City officials plan to further analyze the aquatic center’s finances, including the costs of water, utilities, and other expenses, to determine if privatization could be a viable option. They will also explore alternative revenue streams, such as renting out the concession stand or allowing food trucks on the premises. According to several members of council, after the closure of the concession stand within the aquatic park, several local food trucks parked outside the pool and it was met with excitement from the community.

Council aims to have a new management contract in place by the start of the 2025 pool season. However, some members expressed concern about the impact on low-income residents who rely on the aquatic center as an affordable summer recreation option.

With proposals due Feb. 18, the committee hopes to bring bids to the Feb, 20 council meeting.