EPHRATA — The Port of Ephrata put the City of Soap Lake on notice: The giant lava lamp stored free at the port's facilities since 2004 must be out next month.

If not, Soap Lake must start paying rent, about $600 per month.

"It was the Port of Ephrata's desire to extend the offer of free storage for the Soap Lake lava lamp project in one of our facilities until the end of May 2007," the port's March 19 letter to Soap Lake Mayor Wayne Hovde stated. "As that date quickly approaches, it is important for us to know your intent beyond May."

Mike Wren, the port's manager, said Tuesday he hasn't heard from Hovde or the Soap Lake City Council.

Wren said the port was previously unable to generate revenue with the space currently occupied by the 50-foot tall lamp, which sits, disassembled. But now the facilities are in demand.

"Due to increased growth at the port in the last year and our increasing need for facility space, we can no longer provide free storage for the lamp," Wren wrote.

Alan Lundberg, the giant lava lamp coordinator, said the port's generous storage offer couldn't last forever.

The lamp project was scheduled to be complete last summer, with tourists stopping by to take pictures. The project is unfortunately a number of months behind in its construction schedule, Lundberg said.

The city, he said, had "artistic differences" with the previous engineering team tasked with putting the lamp up. New engineers are now working on the project, he said.

The site for the lamp remains a hilly, undeveloped area near the corner of Main Avenue East and Canna Street North.

"You're going to see a hole in the ground this summer and steel going up," Lundberg said. "There's no way anyone can give a specific date for construction."

Soap Lake City Councilmember Maynard Hagen said the city plans to lease the port's facility, on a month-to-month basis, until the lamp is ready to go up.

Hovde said Tuesday the city plans to pay the rate deemed appropriate by the port.

"We wish we had (the lamp) up by now, but it's going to be up later and we'll be moving out of there," the mayor said.

The mayor did not know how many months the city could end up paying.