For some two hours yesterday, Hill District leaders and their supporters sought the help of Pittsburgh City Council as they pressed their case for a community benefits agreement tied to the construction of the new $290 million arena.

By the time they finished, they had won the ear of Council President Doug Shields, who said it may be time for council to become more actively involved in talks involving the city, Allegheny County and the neighborhood.

"I think we're going to have to," he said after the public hearing. "We got lawsuits. We got, obviously, a stalemate between all the engaged parties."

To date, council has been out of the loop in the talks over a community benefits agreement, Mr. Shields said. He added council needs "to have a dialogue" with Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and perhaps Gov. Ed Rendell to find out what the sticking points are in the talks.

"We have a role to play," Mr. Shields said.

"I stand with you to make sure [the Penguins] do the right thing," another councilman, William Peduto, said to the applause of supporters.

Interest by council comes as representatives for the city and county indicated that the issues have narrowed enough that they could be close to a deal on a community benefits agreement. Another round of negotiations are expected this week.

But Carl Redwood, chairman of the One Hill Community Benefits Agreement Coalition, said after yesterday's hearing there can be no deal until the Penguins return to the bargaining table. He said the team has not been involved in the talks since last fall, and a number of speakers urged council to intervene to coax the Penguins back to the table.

"They need to bring the Penguins to the table. We can't do it without them. Without the Penguins there can't be a community benefits agreement because they're the developer," Mr. Redwood said. "They've been ignoring us and not taking us seriously."

The Penguins declined comment.

More than 35 people spoke at yesterday's hearing, all in favor of such an agreement. The testimony covered familiar ground, with supporters portraying the agreement as a way to ensure that the neighborhood benefits from the public investment in the project to replace Mellon Arena.

"This is not a hand out, but a hand to lift communities up," said George Moses of the Hill District Consensus Group.

Supporters also see it as a way of rectify wrongs that occurred decades ago when Mellon Arena was built and much of the lower Hill demolished, years before the Penguins franchise came into existence.

"We demand justice. We don't want a hand out. We just don't want a repeat of the past," said Kimberly Ellis, a neighborhood activist who has been involved in the quest for a benefits agreement.

As part of the talks, Hill leaders want a guarantee not only on construction jobs but those that will be available once the new arena opens, a grocery store and community center, more park space and input into a redevelopment plan.

Major sticking points are demands for a neighborhood-controlled development fund and union neutrality agreements for Penguins-controlled developments adjacent to the arena.

The Penguins have pledged $1 million toward the grocery development. But for some residents that is not nearly enough in givebacks, given the help the team is getting in building the arena, which includes $15 million a year in revenue from slots gambling.

"That $1 million is not even a down payment for a grocery store but they think that is a big deal," one resident said.

One Hill has threatened to try to block the arena construction if no deal is reached. It has appealed the city Planning Commission's approval of the project's master plan to Common Pleas Court as part of its battle but ne hearing has been scheduled yet.