ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The new kitchen at the Orange Beach Events center is nearing completion with the last piece of the puzzle being a dishwasher.

The city is prepared to enter a lease agreement with Marlin Leasing Corp for five years at just under $200 a month. Officials can buy the machine outright after the contract runs out for $1.

The contract includes maintenance and upkeep for the equipment.

“The recommendation of the restaurant association was to do this,” City Administrator Ken Grimes said.

Councilman Brent Holk said with different crews using the equipment, the lease with the maintenance agreement was a better option.

“When you have so many people coming in there to using it its best to lease it so the maintenance people pick it up no matter how many people use it,” Holk said.

Mayor Tony Kennon said local restaurants that’ll likely be using the equipment while catering events at the center also recommended a lease.

“Philosophically this is a piece of equipment that would be cheaper to buy, but reliability being the number one factor in leasing makes it the appropriate choice,” Kennon said. “Leasing is the better way to go unless you’re just buying something new all the time. I think that’s exactly what we need here with multiple restaurateurs using it, some probably taking better care of it than others and the ability to get it fixed like that is why we went this way.”

Grimes said council members will be given a tour of the new kitchen in about two weeks.