OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A city-county commission is planning to use a nonprofit to develop a potentially $120 million juvenile justice center in Omaha.

The Omaha-Douglas Public Building Commission wants a nonprofit to handle the hiring of construction and management firms for the project, the Omaha World-Herald reported. Public officials will oversee the nonprofit, named the Douglas County Unified Justice Center Development Corp.

The county hopes to create juvenile and family courtrooms and related services to replace cramped quarters in the Douglas County Courthouse, though no specific proposal has been made. The commission intends to issue up to $120 million in bonds for the project. The building commission would own the facilities and the county would rent them out.

Mary Ann Borgeson, chair of the nonprofit’s board, said the corporation is already considering Omaha businesses and investors to be involved in the project. All contract work will need to be approved by the county and the commission, she said.

Using a nonprofit allows the project to include private donations, Borgeson said.

“This is big, this is huge, if it goes forward,” Borgeson said. “We wanted to use a successful model, one that would keep us on top of things, that would keep us accountable, that would keep everything on time and on budget.”

County Board member Jim Cavanaugh has criticized the project as not being open to public scrutiny or discussion.

“There’s going to be lots of eyes and lots of conversation to make sure everything and everybody stays on task, on time and on budget,” Borgeson countered. “I’m not worried about that at all.”