Mayor Cherelle Parker announced Wednesday that she is endorsing the Sixers' proposal for what's been dubbed "76 Place."
As your Mayor, I'm speaking from my City Hall office with a very important announcement. I am proud to share that I have made my decision, and an agreement has been reached to ensure that our Sixers are staying home.
I wholeheartedly believe this is the right deal for the People… pic.twitter.com/Fnj19mrBOV
— Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (@PhillyMayor) September 18, 2024
Parker went on to say that "my administration has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers for an arena in Center City, and I will be transmitting the related legislative package to our City Council of Philadelphia for it's consideration, where it must be approved."
Their new arena would be located two blocks from Chinatown in the Market East neighborhood. On the 76 Place site it reads "the 76ers are bringing the full funding required to build the arena, including injecting an unprecedented $1.55 billion in private dollars to revamp the struggling Market East area."
A Sixers source told On Pattison that "We are grateful to Mayor Parker and her team for their time and diligence in evaluating our proposal and look forward to advancing to the next steps with City Council."
This comes a week to the day after Mayor Parker led a three-hour meeting at the Pennsylvania Convention Center with proponents and detractors of the project, giving them an opportunity to voice their perspectives on the concept. The following day, a rendering of the team's arena concept in Camden, New Jersey was released.
Sources familiar with the project told On Pattison that the Sixers have a very serious offer from Camden. They would prefer to stay in Philadelphia, but do not intend to remain in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
Proponents of the new arena note its impact on the economy of Center City. The new arena is estimated to generate an economic output of more than 700 full-time jobs and $1.9 billion for the city, according to an economic and fiscal report presented by CSL International at last Wednesday's meeting.
Detractors of the project are essentially concerned about the domino effects of gentrification on the surrounding areas. Not only did stakeholders representing the interests of Chinatown speak at last Wednesday's Town Hall, but members of the LGBTQ+ community represented the Gayborhood, as well.
Those detractors view the arena as a threat to the welcoming communities that have been built over decades. They say that the traffic, parking issues and real estate costs will hurt their businesses and ultimately result in displacement. For non-English-speaking residents who view Chinatown as a sanctuary, there is fear that a new arena would threaten the resources that level the playing field for them, such as schooling, insurance accommodations and medical care.
Others fear that the arena will destroy generations of culture built by their ancestors, robbing future generations of the history that preceded them.
Ultimately, three of the four studies presented at last week's Town Hall found that the arena, in its proposed location, was viable.
The hard data spoke volumes.
In the end, a source familiar with the matter said that the decision to advance the project would lie with Mayor Parker and the city council. Parker has now voiced her support.
The Sixers felt they were running out of time on the Market East site proposal in order to be ready for the 2031 season, per a source.
"When I look at this arena, I'm thinking about City Hall and I'm thinking about the river," Parker said in her opening remarks last Wednesday.
"The return on investment for the city of Philadelphia in the future, that is what is first and foremost in my mind," Parker said.
The mayor's endorsement is a strong step toward keeping the Sixers in Philadelphia.
