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    City Council members acknowledged on Friday new uncertainty on whether Marriott, selected in 2002 to manage the city-owned hotel and conference center, remains committed to the project.

    That comes just days before a Tuesday meeting in which the council is expected to complete contracts to build the $53.87 million, 286-bed facility, which includes 60,000 square feet in meeting, exhibition and ballroom space.

    Meanwhile, some council members want more accountability and more frequent updates than they have been getting on the $180 million Environmental Project rain forest that is planned nearby.

    ‘‘Without accountability, I have no confidence in the leadership of the project,’’ said City Council member Tom Gill, who supports the project’s concept but wants to see more financial data. ‘‘We’re never given numbers and the dates are floating.’’

    Despite the questions, city officials said they aren’t considering a ‘‘Plan B’’ for the area reserved for the 4.5-acre indoor rain forest.

    And City Council member Henry Herwig said Friday he doesn’t expect the uncertainty surrounding the hotel’s management to interfere with the start of its construction. He said he expects the council will move ahead with the contracts after a public hearing Tuesday.

    ‘‘I know that we’ve got a great project, we’ve got a contractor on board, it’s got good numbers . . . there are at least two who'd be ready to step in,’’ Herwig said, referring to other potential management firms.

    Herwig said the city can sort out management questions, which emerged this week, during the hotel and conference center’s 18-month construction period, scheduled to begin following a May 5 groundbreaking.

    ‘‘It only operates after it opens, so we’ve got plenty of time for that,’’ Herwig said.

    Marriott officials did not return calls seeking comment Friday.

    Committing The Environmental Project to the Iowa River Landing District, the name for Coralville’s brownfield renewal area south of Interstate 80 and west of the Iowa River, is becoming increasingly important for the city. That project is slated to open in 2008.

    The rain forest remains prominent in Coralville’s plans despite difficulty finding financial backing, in part, because it will be unique, City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said. Plus, its potential economic impact on Coralville and neighboring cities would be difficult to duplicate, he said.

    ‘‘That really provides another major anchor to that district,’’ Hayworth said. ‘‘We are very committed to making sure that happens.’’

    Hayworth said the city and other local officials will push ‘‘even harder’’ and become active to make sure the project becomes successful.

    ‘‘We’re going to do whatever it takes,’’ he said.

    Environmental Project officials still hope to break ground this year. But while the city has moved ahead after placing the rain forest and hotel on adjacent sites in 2001, the rain forest has moved on a slower path.

    ‘‘What happens with the rest of the land around the hotel depends a great deal on whether The Environmental Project moves ahead or not,’’ said City Council member John Lundell, who wants construction on both projects to move ahead on similar time frames.

    ‘‘If it becomes reality, as I hope it does, the magnitude for the rest of the land is much greater than if we do have to go to a Plan B. I’m convinced Plan B would be a nice redevelopment of the area, but it won’t reach the magnitude if The Environmental Project was built.’’

    Nancy Quellhorst, operations director for The Environmental Project, said her group is making progress raising funds, though it has not announced any new donations since receiving a $50 million federal grant in early 2004. She said the group has commitments for $90 million in funding, including that $50 million grant.

    ‘‘It’s a challenging process, but we’ll get there,’’ Quellhorst said. ‘‘We greet the city’s groundbreaking with a great deal of enthusiasm.’’

    Deanna Trumbull, a city consultant for the Iowa River Landing District, said she expects the rain forest to be built. If it isn’t, developers would come up with alternate options for the city-owned land, she said.

    ‘‘It’s real estate on Interstate 80,’’ she said. ‘‘That’s very marketable property.’’