Wait 'til next year is a frequently heard refrain from disenchanted sports fans, but it may be longer than that before city officials begin work on a new city park.

Last summer, Milliken agreed to sell the former manufacturing site to the county for $435,000. Part of the deal called for the county to sell the city three acres of the property for a new park.

Gaffney Administrator James Taylor said he expects negotiations on the sale to begin shortly after the county finishes its cleanup of the property. But he sees no reason to begin work on a new park until the county completes construction of its administration building on the site.

"Things could change, but I don't think we would want to complete the park until the county is complete with theirs," Taylor said.

County officials have cited the economic downturn as a reason to move slowly on their project.

The county plans to fund its new government center partly with an estimated $3.5 million in tax revenue set aside in the capital building fund, with the remaining cost financed with bonds.