A private charter company based at the City Centre Airport says a plan to close one of the runways at the airport would mean the Edmonton Indy would have no where to run next year.

Airco is currently fighting to keep the airport open and says their lease states that at least one runway must be open 24 hours a day.

Company officials say that would mean there will be no room for the racing event come 2011.

Flights are able to come and go at the City Centre Airport while the Indy is on, but only because there are two runways in operation.

A plan is underway to close one of the runways come August. The other runway is used for the Indy. Airco now says its lease guarantees the use of at least one runway.

"The city would be in breach of the lease they have with Edmonton Airports and thereby, Edmonton Airports would be in breach with us as a tenant," said Mary Anne Stanway, Airco spokesperson.

Stanway says recent court documents confirm the company's lease runs beyond the 2015 date set to close the City Centre Airport. The Court of Queen's Bench ruling suggests the city may have to financially compensate Airco for breaking that lease.

"Airco is just one of over 41 businesses that exist at the airport. So the question is what would be the value of all of those businesses and could they be compensated in that way."

Mayor Stephen Mandel says the decision to close the runway has been made. He's not commenting on Airco's current claims.

"That's speculation. So no, I'm not going to worry about that or speculate on that," said Mandel.

The claims come as Envision Edmonton show up at the Indy. The group says they have 40,000 signatures and are calling for a city-wide vote on the future of the airport.

The group believes this weekend could make a difference in their effort.

"This weekend is a big weekend. We have the Indy, Taste of Edmonton and Capital Ex. And we are just trying to make sure we get many volunteers out to each event," said Dean Braithwaite with Envision Edmonton.

Some citizens believe the City Centre Airport should be left as is.

"We have a perfect facility here to land these medevac planes at," said one Edmontonian.

Others think a plebiscite is the way to settle the dispute.

Airco maintains it's not against the Edmonton Indy.

"Edmonton could have it all. They could have the race, the runway, the airport," said Stanway.

The company says it will protect the runway it has leased.

With files from Sean Amato