SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (AP) - The city of Southaven officially became the owner of a fire station that will cost taxpayers $4.4 million.

The Commercial Appeal reports (http://bit.ly/U2LJS6) the Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday to issue general obligation bonds for $2.8 million to buy Fire Station No. 2.

Since 2009, the city has been leasing the fire station.

The lease arrangement would have cost the city $5.5 million in rent alone over the 15-year life of the lease and the city still would not own the 11,000-square-foot station.

The building owners agreed to sell the station to the city for $3.2 million after aldermen opted to buy out the lease.

Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.