The $24 million included money for road repair, the sheriff’s and information-technology departments and indigent defense services.

Those departments would have had to prove their need for the money in writing, and the remaining money would have been used for the down payment.

In the end, county officials used money left over from last fiscal year, which ended June 30.

The board majority supports the purchase, saying the region could benefit economically from a large-scale soccer facility.

Miller has been an outspoken opponent of the acquisition, saying the county needs to focus on providing core services instead of buying more property.

She also said it would cost too much to build and maintain the fields.

Huckelberry said building the fields could cost between $25 million and $35 million. The county will pay off the rest of the purchase in five installments.

Those payments, as well as the money to build the fields, could come from money allocated in the November 2015 bond election, if voters approve the measure.

If voters reject it, the county will have to take money from its general fund to pay off the property.