U of C Mac Hall ownership fight ramps up as mediation breaks down

Three months of mediation haveled nowhere in the fight over who owns MacEwan Hall at the University of Calgary, both parties conceded Friday.

Levi Nilson, president of the University of Calgary Students' Union, said he had hoped to share better news, in a statement after the mediation period ended at 5 p.m.

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"The facts of this situation are clear, and I'm very frustrated that we weren't able to make progress during mediation," Nilson said.

"It has become extremely evident that reaching a mutually agreeable solution with the University of Calgary Board of Governors may notbepossible with the university's current administration."

The school called the lack of an agreement "disappointing," in a statement.

The students' union filed a statement of claim last October arguing it owned 55 per cent of the campus building, which houses a food court, student services and a concert venue, in part because the union says old documents support that claim and it has spent $19 million on construction and renovations since 1969.

Weeks later the university shot back with a statement of defence rejecting "each and every allegation" in the students' union lawsuit.

In December both sides agreed to mediation.

One of the big issues is revenue from concerts and commercial tenants as well as how Mac Hall is operated.

"Now that the mediation period has ended, the SU's injunction applicationto determine whether the SU can continue to manage Mac Hall under the terms of the [current agreement] until the ownership dispute is settled, may proceed," university officials said.

"The university will update the campus community if a court date is set for the application."

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