It took much of the evening, but Halifax Regional Council took another small step toward building a stadium Tuesday evening.
After a marathon debate, council agreed to move forward with the project, giving permission to city staff to come up with a business plan, narrow down possible locations, and find funding partners, but the latter could be tricky.
Council agreed to commit $20 million toward the cost, which will make it easier to sell the idea to other levels of government.
Federal Defence Minister Peter MacKay has expressed support for the idea, but just this week, Premier Darrell Dexter told reporters the province simply doesn't have the money to help fund a stadium in Halifax.
"You're in a position where you simply say ‘Don't ask us and we won't say no,'" Dexter said Monday.
Still, many councillors acknowledged a sense of urgency in moving things forward so the city can be considered as a possible host for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
"We've already got $300,000 invested here, and to my mind, it's crazy to say "no" now," said deputy Mayor Jim Smith.
"We have a great opportunity and I think we need to be stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks at this point."
City staff will now scramble to bring back a new report to council in December.
If it's approved, construction would start in the new year.
