Dawson County government is considering a land swap that could mean more soccer fields for the Rock Creek Sports Complex.

The deal would exchange about 50 acres the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority owns on Dawson Forest Road for 33.5 acres on Bannister Road. That property, owned by Jackie and Jerry Townley, is next to the park.

General manager Brooke Anderson said the authority would then enter into a long-term lease agreement with the county to use the Bannister Road property for recreation.

The authority, which voted last month to approve the swap pending the county commission’s blessing, plans to cover the costs associated with surveying the properties and having the plats prepared.

With nearly 400 youth participating in Dawson County Park and Rec soccer each season, director Lisa Henson said the additional land would address an immediate need. Soccer fields, she said, often can be used for other purposes.

The property is part of an agreement that dates back to the late 1990s and involves the county paying interest on a loan the authority obtained for land to build a water reclamation facility and spray fields.