Roughly one-fourth of that $37 million total comes from COVID recovery funding through the American Rescue Plan passed early in the Biden administration.
Renew Jordan Creek includes daylighting more than 1,000 feet of the downtown waterway and adding features like park space and better stormwater management.
A city engineer told Council on Tuesday that construction costs have spiked and Renew Jordan Creek currently faces a $9.9 million-dollar deficit.
Commenting, Mayor Ken McClure said he was "committed" to the project but also said, "The cost, frankly, sacres me to death."
City officials said much of that deficit could be filled with a low-interest loan through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, plus some grants.
Construction on the first phase of Jordan Creek improvements is expected to begin this fall and finish in the spring of 2026.