SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A proposed sports arena that would be built downtown with the use of public funds was at issue during a meeting of the Sacramento City Council that lasted late into the night Tuesday.

Sacramento Kings owner Joe Maloof sat in the front row of a packed chambers as the council heard from those for and against the plan.

Backers of the proposal said building a new arena at 7th and L streets at the eastern edge of the existing Downtown Plaza shopping center means revitalizing the K Street mall corridor. It would also include improvements to the Crest Theater, the Community Center Theater and the nearby Crocker Art Museum.

Cost estimates for the project range from just under $200 million to more than $442 million.

Developer Al Gianonni was among those who addressed the council.

"I can tell you from these numbers that should you decide that you want to do this, and use public funds to do so, it is definitely feasible," he said.

Financing options for the project including developing the land that Arco Arena currently sits on in North Natomas, additional money from a sales tax that would take effect after the arena is built, and a food and beverage surcharge that would be higher for businesses closer to the arena site and lower for those farther away.

Many of those at Tuesday night's meeting voiced their opposition to using public money for a downtown arena.

"It's not good policy ... it's not good for the community ... and it's not good for the working people of this area," an unidentified man told the council.

Councilman Dave Jones, who has spoken out publicly against the proposal, scrutinized a poll that was conducted on the issue.

"You didn't asked the simple question 'Do you support a publicly funded arena .. yes or no.' That simple question didn't get asked," Jones said.

A representative of the San Francisco firm that conducted the poll who was at the council meeting admitted that "no question with that exact wording was asked."

When it was finally over, the members of the council decided they needed more information about financing options. Many councilmembers said they were open to the idea of putting the matter to a public vote.

Maloof said supports a plan to build a new arena -- whether it be downtown or at the current site of Arco Arena -- and that the decision should be left up to the public.

Should There Be A Downtown Arena?