The City of Janesville is looking for $2.5 million from Rock County to help support construction of the proposed Woodman’s Community Center in the former Sears footprint at the mall.

Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Christine Rebout told the County Board this week that the project would help businesses that struggle during the off season.

City Manager Mark Freitag says he was surprised by recent cost estimates for the project jumping from $41 to $60 million but cautioned that design work is only 30 percent complete.

Freitag says the project is expected to have a $10 million annual impact, which would generate at least $50,000 a year in sales tax revenue for the county.