Bournemouth Borough Council (BBC) has invited leisure operators to come forward with plans for a new all-weather attraction for the town's waterfront site.
A detailed marketing brief has been agreed by the council to complement a planning brief, which sets out "very clear guidelines" for what the site must include.
BBC, which has allocated a budget of £8.5m for the scheme, has given interested parties until the end of May to express an interest in the waterfront site.
A shortlist will then be drawn up by a cross-party task and finish group, with councillors hoping to select a preferred bidder by the end of August.
