The Philadelphia 76ers have reversed their plans for a new downtown arena, opting to stay in South Philly instead.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, some council members confirmed that the team has struck a deal with Comcast Spectacor to stay in the sports stadium district. But, details about what’s next are still under wraps.
The 76ers, the mayor’s office, and Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Wells Fargo Center, didn’t respond to requests for comments. The team currently plays there and rents the arena from Comcast, which also owns the Flyers.
So, no downtown move for the 76ers. They’re staying put in South Philly. The council had voted to approve the downtown arena after a long, heated debate. The owners were hoping to move into what they planned to call 76 Place by 2031. But there was a lot of pushback from residents in nearby Chinatown and other activists.
One council member, Jimmy Harrity, was pretty upset about the change. He felt like he was used as a pawn in the whole situation. Mayor Cherelle Parker, who backed the plan, had said it would be a game-changer for the city’s economy. They thought the new arena would help revive a struggling retail area called Market East.
The team owners wanted city approval by the end of the year to meet their opening date. They promised not to ask the city for construction funds, but they could still seek state and federal money. Instead of property taxes, they would’ve paid about $6 million annually in lieu of taxes.
But opponents were worried about traffic jams on game days and the potential for gentrification and rising rents. The Chinatown community has been fighting against various developments since the 1960s, including casinos and highways that have already disrupted their neighborhood.
