This could be the last chance for the South Okanagan Performing Arts Centre Society.

Mayor Andrew Jakubeit says he’s looking forward to a symposium proposed by the group that will hammer out a plan to bring the downtown arts centre to fruition.

“When it was originally contemplated it was a massive project, $30 million, and I think the symposium will really help fine tune the viability of that,” he said on this week’s Mayor’s Minute.

“Maybe what was envisioned years ago has changed.”

City council agreed this week to hold the vacant city-owned lot at 99 Nanaimo Ave until March 2019 to give the volunteers group "one last kick at the can.”

Jakubeit said discussions about a new arts centre have been taking place since the late 90s, with major delays being attributed to the SOEC and 2008 recession.

The Mayor said the city had hoped the group would be a bit further along by now with a business plan.

“But we are where we are, and we’ve committed to that 18 month window for them to really put their ducks in a row and get some community interest.”

When asked about how he would gauge public support for the project, Jakubeit said the symposium will likely make or break it.

“This is now the time where people that are keenly interested in seeing something happen, that they rally behind not just the symposium but events that happen the Cleland or Events Centre.”

“A demonstration of support, because not just monetarily up front to build something, but how does it sustain itself and how does it get funded on an annual basis,” the Mayor asked.