The Albury Council has long been concerned the system might fail, especially in summer.

The council’s engineering works committee this week awarded a $383,000 tender to Cobram business HeatNCoolit for a system — cheaper than three others.

OP Industries, which has outlets at Wanga-ratta, Melbourne and Adelaide, lodged a $512,000 tender, Wodonga’s Complex Airconditioning a tender for $561,000 and the Sydney-Melbourne company Inter-Chillers $642,000.

The committee’s backing for HeatNCoolit will now be put to the full council this month for a final decision.

A report to the committee said more than 160,000 participants used the centre each year for regional, state and national events.

The report, by the engineering department’s Stephen Chalmers, said the centre hosted up to eight big events a year, including the Australian Country Junior Basketball Cup in January.

“These events bring thousands of visitors to Albury,” he said.

“From a facility management and event co-ordination point of view, poor air conditioning is the only area that receives continued negative feedback, impacting on the comfort of participants and spectators.”

Mr Chalmers said the air conditioning was part of the stadium when it opened in 1984.

While it was regularly serviced the cost had increased and its effectiveness has decreased.

The committee was told an energy-efficient audit had been held two years ago at 10 sites, including at the stadium.

It has been found that the stadium system simply did not cool it in warm weather, especially when there were many inside.