RICHMOND HILL, Ga. - City officials hope a planned $6 million-plus conference center will capture small- to midsize conferences that are too small for the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.

Some residents, however, are questioning whether Richmond Hill needs a conference center and worry that taxpayers might wind up footing the bill if it isn't profitable.

The conference center complex, to be built on about 10 acres off Brisbon Road across from The Ford Plantation, also will include an aquatic center with two swimming pools and an 18-hole golf course built under a public/private partnership with local developer Johnny Murphy.

City officials originally estimated the cost at between $5 million and $6 million when they conceived the idea about two years ago, but now they say rising construction costs might make the final tab higher.

Richmond Hill Mayor Richard Davis says the conference center will provide an alternative for conventions that can't afford the Trade Center by being small enough to be less expensive but large enough to handle meetings the city can't accommodate now.

"We have a big need here in our growing city and the community of south Bryan County in general for people to have nice places to meet and to dine that would accommodate 400 to 500 people. We don't have that now," he said. "The largest meeting room in the area with food service is the Holiday Inn and if you get 100 people in there you're packed."

City officials recently finalized a contract with public/private management firm 4 PM to oversee construction. The city got voter approval in the 2005 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum for $1.6 million for the center. The city plans to borrow the rest of the money, though it has not yet determined from what source, City Manager Michael Melton said.

He said the financing will be long-term. The Georgia constitution prohibits a government entity from committing taxpayers to debt beyond the calendar year without a public referendum, but Mr. Melton said that provision does not apply because the city will structure the debt in a way that does not bind the taxpayers to repayment, such as a lease-purchase agreement or a revenue bond.

The city is awaiting a final budget from 4 PM. Council expects to get the budget in about two months and to start construction in about six months, Mr. Melton said. Once building starts, city officials hope to open the conference center within 18 months.

Some have questioned whether the city should be building a conference center instead of infrastructure and amenities such as bike and walking trails. Retiree Betty Miner objects to special purpose local option tax money being used to build it instead of more pressing needs.

"Of all the things in the world we need, it's more roads out here," she said.

She also worries that the conference center will not pay for itself and that taxpayers will wind up making up the difference in operating costs for the center and the golf course.

Mr. Davis said that roads are the responsibility of the county and the state, not the city.