A group of gallery owners who say the 快盈v3 Frontier Visitors Centre undercut their business by selling merchandise now want the association behind the centre to stop selling goods at the Yellowknife Airport.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to see the airport location close down, we want to see the airport location go to legitimate business,鈥� said Lisa Seagrave, Gallery of the Midnight Sun owner.

In a June 29 letter to the premier, the group says retailers have tried to secure space at the airport but 鈥減referential treatment鈥� has been given to the 快盈v3 Frontier Visitors Association.

On May 23, the same businesses wrote to association president Kyle Thomas, arguing the visitors centre causes market disruption and hurts other businesses by offering retail services while being supported by government funds.

鈥淲e would like to discuss how and when the (visitor鈥檚 centre) lease will be terminated at the Yellowknife airport and/or what equivalent opportunities will be granted to other local retailers,鈥� states the most recent letter.

Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Wally Schumann is copied on the letter, as well as Thomas and a number of politicians.

Geoff Morrison, owner of Aurora Emporium Art Gallery, expressed interest in acquiring retail space at the Yellowknife Airport in 2015.

He was told at the time there was no room available and that the visitor鈥檚 association was doing a good job marketing products, according to an e-mail he provided to Yellowknifer.

Lee Stroman, regional airport manager with the Department of Infrastructure, was in touch with Morrison at the time of his request and told Yellowknifer the airport was searching for a food services vendor.

A tender had gone out and was ultimately awarded to Javaroma, he said.

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 that we didn鈥檛 want him here,鈥� said Stroman. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just that we didn鈥檛 then and, in truth, don鈥檛 have anything very good right now to accommodate the kind of art that he鈥檚 doing.鈥�

He added the airport has since moved to a more 鈥渂usiness-centric focus鈥� and is open to hearing from entrepreneurs who might like to move in.

The recent letter also calls for a meeting between all levels of government that support the visitor鈥檚 association so they can discuss how the association operates.

鈥淲hat they鈥檙e doing is killing retail services in Yellowknife,鈥� said Seagrave, who takes issue with the fact the centre has grown its retail services over the years while receiving government funding.

According to the visitor鈥檚 association鈥檚 2016 financial statements, its centre received $86,723 in funding from the city and $161,000 from the GNWT.

Most of its revenue comes from the $1.03 million the centre earned from merchandise sales.

It also received funding from other areas such as membership fees and renting the visitors centre building, to cover approximately $1.5 million in expenses.

鈥淚f it continues, there will be galleries closing their doors,鈥� Seagrave said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 compete on an unlevel playing field and that鈥檚 what they鈥檙e presenting.鈥�

Morrison agreed the visitor鈥檚 association has presented unfair competition to other businesses, including its members.

鈥淲e developed the artists and then they would migrate over there because they can make a little more money,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t really victimized a lot of businesses.鈥�

Seagrave said she met in early June with a representative from the city and the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment but wants another meeting with the deputy minister and the city鈥檚 administrator.

The president of the visitors association was invited to the June meeting, but did not attend, Seagrave said.

In an unsigned statement to Seagrave from June 26, the department stated: 鈥淲e appreciate you bringing forward your concerns regarding market disruption within the retail sector and will take this into account as a new model is considered.鈥�

Kris Johnson, North Slave regional superintendent, said the department is willing to meet again with local business owners.

A long-term plan for visitor services is being developed with the city in the coming months, Johnson said, adding local businesses would be kept informed.

Yellowknifer did not receive a response from the president of the visitor鈥檚 association to requests for an interview.