For six years, the city of College Park and the Santa Fe Café have sparred over the downtown bar's failure to install an indoor sprinkler system. Last December, the city sued the bar's owner, Mark Srour, in an attempt to force an installation.

Srour told the City Council Tuesday that he hopes to have an installation deal in place within the next two weeks and if that doesn't happen, he'll give up the bar.

"If the sprinklers do not get into Santa Fe, I am not the owner," said Srour, whose lease expires in June 2010. "If this deal does not go through, I walk away in two weeks or a week."

The dispute between Santa Fe and the city began in March 2003, when Srour signed an agreement to have sprinklers installed within three years. Some council members expressed skepticism that he will finally deliver on that promise.

"This has been a long road so we'll just have to see," said Councilwoman Mary Cook (Dist. 4). "College towns are going to have bars and it's our job to make them as safe as possible."

Srour has cited cost concerns as his main obstacle. He said past contractors have been too expensive and he and the property's landlord, Barbara Zeiger, have disagreed over how to split costs.

"It's not that we don't want the sprinklers," Srour said. "[But] it's a huge capital investment and in this economy, to make huge capital investments is a very hard decision to make."

Srour said Tuesday that he's still in discussions with Zeiger and several contractors and is optimistic that they'll reach a deal.

"I will know, hopefully, by next Tuesday or Wednesday," said Srour, who added that installation would likely take two or three months. "I feel very good about this."

Santa Fe has been closed for renovations since May in an effort to update the ambiance at the southwestern-themed bar, which opened in 1984.

"It's really just an update of the interior and exterior," said Andy Budacki, Santa Fe's general manager. "It's about making the Santa Fe look more recent and more current."

Srour also owns the nearby Cornerstone Grill and Loft and Mark Lounge. Cornerstone has sprinklers and Srour said he's working on installing a system at the Mark Lounge.

"I don't want to be cynical but I think when it happens, we'll know," Cook said.

Srour hopes to reopen Santa Fe in September and will again discuss his progress at the council's next work session on Aug. 5.

"I think we all want to get a resolution," Mayor Stephen Brayman said. "If you've got the deal and things are under construction, it'll be a real short meeting."

E-mail David Hill at dhill@gazette.net.