VIDALIA &8212; The Vidalia Gateway and Welcome Center is finally looking like a reality.

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland, contractor Don Barron and architect Wayne Coco signed a contract during Monday night&8217;s board of aldermen meeting to begin construction on the project.

Copeland said the event is a landmark for Vidalia, and the board and local officials at the meeting took the time to enjoy it, posing for pictures and handing out congratulations.

&8220;This is one of the biggest days in the history of this community,&8221; Copeland said.

The center, to be located on the Vidalia Riverfront, will be a convention center, welcome point for tourists and house some offices.

Barron&8217;s company, Don M. Barron, Inc. bid $4,269,000 with alternate bids of $112,000, $242,000 and $97,000. The only other bid was from Traxler Construction, which bid $4,576,000 with alternate bids of $125,000, $247,000 and $95,000.

This was the third round of bidding the town put out on the project. The first round of bids came in significantly higher than the board had expected, forcing some cuts in the construction.

&8220;This took a lot of hard work and a lot of meetings but this is one of the days I&8217;m very proud&8221; Copeland said.

A pre-construction meeting Tuesday will likely determine the starting date for construction, Copeland said.

The board also voted to change zoning on

a strip of land along U.S. 84 from open land to commercial. The land includes a parcel Wal-Mart is interested in establishing a store.

In other business, the board:

4 Nominated Jack Langston, Ben Adams, Lee Staggs, Mark Morace, Richard Jones, George Rutherford and Roy Reyes to serve on a hazardous mitigation committee which will develop a plan.

The town received a grant to help write the plan, which will outline policies for cleaning up hazardous waste.

4 Voted to approve occupational licenses for Marvin Hammack (Vidalia Deer Shop), Son Vong (New York Nails), Hartnell Bairnsfather (Slough Daddy&8217;s River Grill) and H&H Auto Sales. A liquor and beer license was also approved for Bairnsfather (Slough Daddy&8217;s River Grill).