City ultimatum over show

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington has issued a final ultimatum to the Albany Agricultural Society to accept the latest offer by the City of Albany or face not being involved in the $21 million Centennial Park Sporting Precinct redevelopment.

The two parties remain at loggerheads 16 months after negotiations began over the future home of the society and annual Albany Agricultural Show at the eastern precinct of the redevelopment.

The stalemate continued at a meeting last Tuesday night, with a resolution again failing to be reached after the society presented its latest proposal to the council.

The society has emphasised its desire to have the covered floor space of their existing structures replaced, which are set to make way for the redevelopment, which is scheduled to begin construction in January.

Previous requests in the past 12 months - including land swap proposals and cash offers - have been rejected, along with an offer to relocate to a new building inside the precinct to share with other groups.

Mr Wellington said "discrepancies" at the latest attempt for a resolution meant City staff would now make a recommendation to council to be voted on at the June 23 meeting, which will be the final offer.

He said the City was faced with the fear of a "use it or lose it" scenario over $8.7 million in Federal funding if construction did not begin in January.

"I think they are wanting more than we are prepared to give, but there has got to be some sort of compromise between the two and we have got to work together to make sure we see the best thing that can happen," Mr Wellington said.

"At the moment we are a little bit far apart, but we will get close to that by the fourth Tuesday in June so we can get on with the proposal because everyone is in line with what we want to do, except the Ag Society."

Mr Wellington said he believed the society understood a resolution would be reached in 15 days when a "firm" proposal was put to council.

"I would think so, they should be well aware we can't go any further, we have to stop this and get on with it," he said.

"It has been very frustrating at this stage, very frustrating, but we have got to the stage where the talking has got to stop and the action has got to start.

"Everyone is concerned now and we have to bring it to a head."

Mr Wellington said he hoped common sense would prevail and the Agricultural Society would accept the City's offer.

Former Albany Agricultural Society president and current executive member Erica Henderson, who attended last week's meeting, said the society was currently not being offered its required 6000sqm of undercover space under the plans.

She said the society was not in a financial position to hire marquees to make up for the discrepancy in floor space.

"If the City of Albany don't come up with a suitable offer in 15 days, the society and the agricultural show is in jeopardy and that will come back on the City of Albany," she said.

"The show is the biggest event in Albany.

"They don't want us to be there, I have always got that impression.

"They have always maintained we can have the show there, they just don't want us there."