Two Roanoke city councilmen made a pitch this morning for a 3,500-seat amphitheater to be built in Elmwood Park and run by officials from the Jefferson Center.

Brian Wishneff and Sherman Lea were on the losing side of a June council vote to issue a request for proposals to build and manage a 7,000-seat amphitheater on the former Victory Stadium site on Reserve Avenue, near the Roanoke River. But they’re convinced the debate isn’t over yet.

“I’m not going to tell the citizens, ‘It’s all over. Forget about it,’” Lea said. “I’ll do what I can do.”

They estimate the smaller amphitheater would cost about $6 million to build, which is substantially less than estimates for the river site.

The press conference, held at Fire Station No. 1 and attended by about 20 downtown business owners, citizens and members of the media, was not without contention. Local musician Cyrus Pace and John Anderson, president of the Farm, an advertising agency, challenged Wishneff and Lea.

Pace argued that the vote has already been made, and Anderson said the three “For the City” council members who voted for the river location were carrying out a mandate delivered to them when they swept the 2006 council election.

“Why can’t you guys just accept the decision?” Anderson asked.

Lea and Wishneff said they were responding to citizens’ concerns and providing an alternate proposal.

Wishneff said after the press conference that he expects the amphitheater will continue to be an issue through next spring’s municipal elections, when voters will select a mayor and three council members. Wishneff's and Lea’s terms will each be up, along with those of Councilman Bev Fitzpatrick and Mayor Nelson Harris.