Westbrook officials are exploring options to bring an outdoor concert pavilion to Riverbank Park.

The project has already resulted in a feasibility study produced by University of Southern Maine graduate students, and a design proposal by Span Systems Inc., an international producer of outdoor pavilion structures.

Bill Baker, the assistant city administrator for business and community relations, said Wednesday that the city has been discussing the project with a representative of a national concert promotion company, and has been taking “a methodical, long- term look” at how the city could bring a plan forward.

Current proposals are exploring anywhere from a 1,500-3,000 capacity pavilion in the park, which could be annually erected for seasonal use or built as a year-round facility for other events.

“Major promoters favor a permanent facility for a variety of reasons,” Baker said.

He added that the city is considering whether a seasonal facility “could be adapted for some other use,” such as a covered hockey or skating facility in the park.

Westbrook is not alone in looking at a new outdoor concert venue. Recently in South Portland, a developer, John Cacoulidis, is exploring options for an outdoor venue on land he owns by Bug Light Park. The South Portland Planning Board is slated to begin formal review of the project at its Feb. 25 meeting.

The Darling Pavilion ampitheater in Bangor’s Waterfront Park has been a popular site for outdoor concerts since 2010, and has attracted a range of national touring artists.

However, Baker feels that Westbrook is inching closer to having proposals move to reality.

“I think it’s fair to say our travel down this road is more advanced than other preliminary discussions,” he said. “It’s important for the people of Westbrook to understand that we are now players in this regional environment.”

The city has received a design proposal from Span Systems, a Manchester, N.H.-based company that has designed outdoor pavilions across the globe, including the 5,000-seat Bank of America Pavilion in Boston. The company designs and installs large outdoor, tent-like structures known as “tensioned fabric structures.”

According to current concept details, in order to accommodate 1,500 seats, the structure would cover an area of 8,500 square feet and have a maximum height of between 50-60 feet.

Baker said a design would most likely be produced to create improved views of the river, and may result in a relocation of the playground to the Legacy Publishing side of the park.

Baker said while the promotion company “isn’t ready to come forward publicly with their interest in the site,” the company will have to come forward with potential plans in order to move any discussion to the City Council.

“Our next goal would be to try to get the people we’ve been conferring with from the industry to come forward to a public meeting sometime in the not-too-distant future,” he said.

In December, a group of four USM graduate students submitted a feasibility study to the city, which looks at potential problems of using Riverbank Park as the venue, such as environmental impacts and the perception and willingness of Westbrook residents “to accept a change of use.”

The study determined that zoning regulations for the park do not hinder this type of development.

“These regulations do not restrict the development of Riverbank Park since it does not fall within a Stream Protection Zone, or the Resource Protection Shoreland Zone,” the study said.

Baker said the city would also strongly push to tie the outdoor pavilion with the Westbrook Performing Arts Center, and perhaps bring more acts into the center during the offseason.