Mrs Dean emailed media outlets yesterday to say she "wanted a decision made" on the future location of the sports complex because debate had gone on for too long.
Queenstown Lakes deputy mayor Lyal Cocks said a meeting between council staff and landowners linked to a potential greenfields site near Ballantyne Rd took place last week.
Mrs Dean said, while the meeting was a "positive" step, the council needed to make up its mind.
The location of the sports complex had "been up in the air" for more than two years, she said.
"While I can understand that they want to get the location right, I would suggest that the time for talk is over and that the people of Wanaka need a decision now."
A sports complex facility was "severely lacking" in Wanaka.
"The sooner the bureaucrats ... decide on a location, the sooner construction work can actually begin," she said.
Mr Cocks, who is also the Wanaka Community Board chairman, said he was disappointed to hear of Mrs Dean's comments.
The pair met last week and Mr Cocks said Mrs Deans had not said anything about the proposed sports complex.
"I could have given her more up-to-date projections about where we are at," he said.
Council policy planners and staff had discussed a feasibility concept for the proposed $10.6 million indoor courts, stadium and playing grounds with Ballantyne Rd landowners Willowridge Developments Ltd and Ballantyne Investments Ltd.
The two companies own neighbouring chunks of land, which have been touted as a potential greenfields site as an alternative to the QLDC-owned Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park - a site once favoured by a council-appointed working party.
However, public opinion has moved away from the confined camping ground and Wanaka Showgrounds option towards a greenfields site, which would offer greater scope for future expansion.
It was "silly" to rush into a decision about the location of a sports complex given "we're dealing with a large amount of public money", Mr Cocks said.
