AUSTIN — The Mower County Board of Commissioners is looking to the Hormel Foundation to fund a portion of the cost to build a new grandstand.

“This is a huge thing for Austin and for the county if they’re willing to participate in it,” Commissioner Mike Ankeny said.

The county board on Tuesday accepted a bid of about $600,000 — about $20,000 under budget — from Seating and Athletic Facility Enterprises LLC of Ellendale for part of the construction costs to build a 1,500-seat grandstand.

But a new grandstand is far from a done deal.

The bid was accepted on the condition that the county receive grant money from the foundation to pay part of the project.

While Commissioner Jerry Reinartz was pleased with the bid coming $20,000 under, he said there is work to be done.

“It all depends now on if we can put this deal together with the help of the Foundation,” Reinartz said. “We’d be happy with anything they can do to help.”

A 1,500-seat grandstand would cost an estimated $776,000, while a 1,000-seat grandstand would cost an estimated $553,500.

The board allocated $500,000 as part of the county’s 2013 budget to build the grandstand.