FLAGSTAFF — The floor of the Flagstaff City Council was packed Tuesday night as city leaders voted to proceed with the first phase of Northern Arizona Health Care’s proposed new hospital campus.

As the meeting stretched close to midnight, city council members finally approved the plan 6 to 1, with Deputy Mayor Austin Aslan voting in favor of the only dissenting vote. Aslan instead wanted to postpone the vote for another six months, as he conducts further research into the potential impact of the new hospital on the community.

“I’m sure we need a new hospital,” said Aslan, but questioned whether a $1 billion new build was the best option.

At the conference, hospital leaders reaffirmed their determination to redevelop existing hospitals “for the community.”

Continuing the hours-long public comment session that began at the May 2 meeting, residents were divided as they took turns speaking in parliament before the vote.

Many residents were in favor of the plan, as was the opinion expressed earlier this month, but some called for further research before making a decision.

The first phase of the proposed plan involves building a new 700,000-square-foot hospital north of Fort Tuthill County Park to replace the aging hospital north of downtown Flagstaff. . If approved, it will cost $800 million to build and is expected to be completed in 2027.