WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — New Castle County officials are weighing whether to move forward with an environmental study of land eyed for a proposed $500 million private cargo facility south of the existing port in Wilmington.

Port unions, city officials and County Executive Thomas P. Gordon are backing the proposed development of a 176-acre plot at the Riveredge Industrial Park near the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

A spokeswoman for Gordon told The News Journal  that county lawyers are reviewing a contract for the study, which would be funded using $300,000 evenly split from the county and city of Wilmington coffers.

International Longshoremen's Association Clerks and Checkers Local 1883 business agent Ronald "Kimokoh" Harris says the study would allow supporters of the project to formally court private investors to fund the concept.