It’s going to cost $15 million to extend Daniels Street and put in place infrastructure essential to turn 187 acres of city-owned wastewater treatment plant land into an economic juggernaut for Manteca built around leisure industries.

Municipal staff is suggesting the City Council select the extension project as one of two endeavors they pitch for federal funding during this spring’s San Joaquin Council of Governments One Voice trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby for federal assistance. The council will take up the quest when they meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.

Putting in place sewer, water and electric lines along with storm drains as well as punching Daniels Street through to McKinley Avenue will open development of the city’s envisioned family entertainment zone including a 30-acre site for the proposed 500-room Great Wolf Resort Lodge project to create 414 permanent jobs and 156 part-time jobs with a $12 million payroll on its own. The rest of the 157 acres would be developed with soccer fields and family recreation and entertainment oriented businesses including restaurants built around a manmade lake.

City Manager Karen McLaughlin said the city should have enough leftover redevelopment agency funds plus public facilities infrastructure fees already collected from existing growth to cover the tab. She indicated if the city is able to secure money for the FEZ project that has a definitely economic investment by the private sector waiting in the wings Manteca could use the money they know have for other public works projects.

Staff is also recommending g that the city once again seek federal help for the proposed Antoine Raymus Expressway on Highway 99 that would eventually replace the existing Austin Road interchange. The new interchange is key for the overall development of the 1,050-acre Austin Road Business Park and a project 9,134 direct jobs.

The upcoming 16th annual San Joaquin One voice lobbying trip to the nation’s capital brings together all of the cities, county, and private sector to basically try and sway federal decision makers to part with greenbacks for everything from interchange projects to  water supply endeavors. The effort was started by the San Joaquin Council of Governments after it was noted the region was consistently getting lot less federal funds than other areas of the state.

In the past the effort has netted some $104 million for projects in San Joaquin County including funding for Give Every Child a Chance.