It was a hockey night in Pittsburgh but this one had virtually nothing to do with the game on the ice.

More than 230 people piled into Mellon Arean last night to kick off an elaborate public participation process toward the development of a master plan for a new arena.

For nearly two hours, more than a dozen people, many of them from the Hill District, voiced their concerns, frustrations, and thoughts about the proposed $290 million arena and its impact.

Some raised concerns about Penguins fans parking on their streets before games. Others wanted to make sure a rightful share of construction work would go to minority- and women-owned businesses.

And while last night's meeting was arranged in part so that people could have a say in the development, many Hill residents, mindful of too many broken promises in the past, remained skeptical as to whether their voices would be heard and heeded this time.

"Whatever agreement you get from these folks, you better make sure it's legal and in writing," said Lois M. Cain, a founding member of the Hill District Consensus Group.

Throughout the meeting, architect Don Carter, president of Urban Design Associates, the firm that is representing the Penguins in the planning process, sought to assure those in attendance that they would have a say in the development.

At one point, Mr. Carter told the crowd it simply would "have to trust the process" only to be greeted by shouts of "NO" from some.

Still, he stressed the goal is to get as much input from residents as possible, adding the process put together for the arena is one the most elaborate he has seen in his years as an architect and designer.

"We've opened the door as wide as we can. We're going to listen," he said. "This is an honest effort. The doors are all open."

Toward that end, people had the opportunity last night to sign up for one of six focus groups that will meet later this summer to discuss the arena construction and to get updates on design and a traffic study now in the works. There was no word last night on just how many did so.

Those sessions will be followed by another public meeting to solicit more comment and opinion. The public participation process was organized by the city planning department, the city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority and the team.

City Councilwoman Tonya Payne said she was heartened by the turnout last night and the fact so many residents spoke out, not just those representing a few groups.

"You need to respect these people and this process," she told representatives for the team and the two public agencies.

Several people complained that the redevelopment of the 28-acre Mellon Arena site and a proposed community benefits agreement for the Hill were not part of this stage of arena planning.

Mr. Carter said that would come later. Marimba Milliones, a Hill resident representing community interests in the planning process, added it was important for people to participate at this stage.

While the process may not be about the redevelopment or the benefits agreement right now, "it is about community participation and how much we care about what happens in our backyard," she said.

Ted Black, Penguins vice president of business and legal affairs, said the team truly is interested in working with people in the Hill -- and other areas as well -- on the project.

Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced the hiring of Ron Porter, president of RDP Consulting Services, as a senior consultant to coordinate outreach efforts in the Hill and elsewhere.

Mr. Porter, a Hill native and a co-chair of the former Pittsburgh Gaming Task Force, has expertise in team-building and collaboration between corporations and their communities.