The future of a £220-million seafront leisure project will be decided today.

Members of Brighton and Hove City Council's policy and resources committee will vote on whether to keep alive Frank Gehry's dream of rebuilding the King Alfred centre in Hove, or consign it to the scrapheap.

The 4.30pm meeting at Hove Town Hall will determine whether his plans comply with the design brief the council set.

Leading city figures urged councillors to allow Gehry's eye-catching proposals to proceed to the planning committee, where members will have the chance to scrutinise them in detail.

Hove and Portslade MP Celia Barlow, whose constituency includes the King Alfred site in Kingsway, said: "Voting against this scheme will prevent the public having their say. It would take a politician of limited vision to deny the people of this city the opportunities offered by this proposal."

Council leader Ken Bodfish called on fellow members to be bold and show faith in the city.

He said: "This is a defining moment for Brighton and Hove. Frank Gehry's King Alfred design is our chance to join that exclusive group of cities, such as Bilbao and Los Angeles."

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, said: "This is unique opportunity for our city."

Lord Bassam of Brighton said: "Turning our backs on this scheme will put a closed for business' sign on our city. It is a shame there are visionless politicians who oppose this development. They would take this city backwards."

Ivor Caplin, former MP for Hove and Portslade, said: "We've been trying to turn this vision into a reality for more than ten years. The project represents unparalleled value for taxpayers and our city simply can't afford to turn its back on this opportunity."

Mark Froud, chief executive of Sussex Enterprise, said: "If this scheme fails, it will affect Brighton and Hove's standing for years to come. We can't let that happen."

Simon Fanshawe, chairman of Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: "The project offers the creation of jobs that we need in the city. And it will be good for business."

But opponents of the scheme said councillors should reject it in favour of an alternative way of providing a sports centre.

Conservative councillor Averil Older, who represents Central Hove, said: "Whatever the technical arguments about the scheme, I hope councillors see sense and reject it.

"It is simply because it is Frank Gehry that the Labour administration insist this development will fit this small site."