"The Ironman people won't talk, Tuwharetoa won't talk.
"As far as I'm aware they still want that amount which they're legally entitled to," he said.
"I would certainly like to be involved. The role of mayor is to look after the district and I would hate to lose Ironman."
Mr Cooper said Ironman was the premium event in the town's events calendar and the town received huge economic benefits from it - impacting on everyone from those who clean motel rooms to those providing coffee and food for competitors and spectators.
He said there was also a major benefit from the huge television exposure the event received.
Ironman organisers have said Taupo will not lose Ironman as a result of the charge and they were not looking to move the event to another venue.
The Taupo District Council and Ironman New Zealand have a contract which will see the event stay in Taupo until at least 2016.