There has been a small reprieve for Hotel Australasia supporters after a tense and somewhat confused discussion in last night's council meeting over the sale of the hotel.
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Council resolved for the general manager and mayor to negotiate the sale with the current interested party, but that it must be brought back to council for consideration.
The motion, proposed by Cr Sharon Tapscott and amended by Mayor Kristy McBain also instructed staff to look at funding opportunities including the offer of $1.5m by Country Labor.
Council heard three deputations from speakers urging council to keep the Hotel Australasia because there were good economic reasons and social benefits in so doing.
Julian Webb from the Eden Access Centre told the council meeting that the centre was desperately short of space and would be happy to act as the head lessee
"I urge you to keep the Hotel Australasia and use it for the Access Centre and library. There is a need for a community hub or co-service location where people can access to a range of service providers," Mr Webb said.
"We have a strong demand for space. We’re bursting at the seams. We have to counsel people in an open office. There is a great need for a community hub. We’re advocating shifting up to the Hotel Australasia and for that we need to keep the hotel."
Councillors also heard a fiery rebuttal of selling the hotel from Jenny Robb who was speaking as a community member and owner of two tourism businesses.
"While the debate continues you do own it. This space could achieve so much more. The time spent on this has achieved literally nothing. There are new uses which should make every one of you look at this building with new eyes," Ms Robb said.
Karen Lott, owner of Sprout Cafe, said the suggestions of moving the Access Centre, Visitor Information Centre and library to the hotel would benefit locals and visitors.
The hotel was being debated yet again because Cr Tapscott had submitted a rescission motion.
Cr Tapscott said that following further information and advice since the previous council meeting she believed there had been an error of meeting process and that information regarding funding opportunities, critical to the decision making, was not available at the meeting.
