A local sales tax could help build a new baseball stadium in downtown Savannah.

City officials are considering paying for the project with $22 million of a special purpose local option sales tax designed for an arena.

The city would pay for the majority of the costs under the terms being proposed. The city's minor league baseball team, the Sand Gnats, would likely contribute millions to the project and would lease the structure from the city and pay operating costs.

Officials said the stadium would also serve as a multi-use facility, allowing them to fund the construction with money from the 1-cent local sales tax approved in 2006.

Tags: Savannah, minor league baseball, baseball stadium, Savannah downtown stadium