UPDATE (7:30 p.m. October 2)—Mayor Josh Cohen intends to keep his promise to "walk the plank" for failing to reopen the Market House by Oct. 1 and will take the plunge as part of its grand reopening.

He made the promise to jump into Spa Creek in May when he announced an Oct. 1 deadline for reopening the Market House—which has been closed since January. 

"The Oct. 1 date was my decision," Cohen said. "I set the date despite recommendations to the contrary from city staff who knew the Market House was just so complicated."

In July, Cohen anticipated a delay of about about four weeks, but The Capital Gazette reported on Wednesday a confirmed opening of the iconic building on City Dock in the spring of 2013.

Cohen wouldn't confirm a set date to the Capital or to Annapolis Patch.

"What I want to avoid is more tentative announcements," Cohen said. "The next time we make an announcement is when we have a firm opening date and a new lineup of tenants."

Cohen said he wants to "promote the hell out of the Market House opening," so he's holding off on his dip in the harbor. He thinks the swim will help generate buzz around the opening events.

He said an announcement should be coming soon on when that swim will take place.

"It's all coming together. It's just taking a long time," Cohen said. "No one wants that opened more badly than I do ... but by the same token we need to get it right this time."

Read more on this issue:

• Merchants Not Surprised by Market House Delay
• Vendor Applications Available for Market House
• Market House Saga Continues with More Renovations
• BLOG: Decision Time for Market House
• Work Begins on Market House Geothermal Wells
• Video: Market House Grand Opening
• City Names Short-Term Market House Manager
• Market House Talk Resumes at City Council Meeting

CORRECTION: This article was updated from a previous version to clarify that The Capital Gazette confirmed a spring 2013 opening for the Market House and it is not a rumor. Patch regrets the error.