The Philadelphia 76ers aren’t going anywhere.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker announced Wednesday her administration has reached an agreement with the Sixers for a new arena in Center City.
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.
— Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (@PhillyMayor) September 18, 2024
I wholeheartedly believe this is the right deal for the People… pic.twitter.com/Fnj19mrBOV
“This is an historic agreement. It is the best financial deal ever entered into by a Philadelphia mayor for a local sports arena,” Parker said in a video posted to social media. “And I wholeheartedly believe it is the right deal for the future of Philadelphia.”
The arena proposal faced blowback from critics, claiming that the Sixers’ new home would cause the Chinatown section to be gentrified. Thousands of people even took to the streets to protest since the arena would be built right next to that area of the city. However, their concerns lost out.
“Now, to the good people of Chinatown, please hear me. I see you. I listened to you. I want your rich and vibrant community and proud history, to not just survive, but to thrive. I believe we have the best Chinatown in the nation and I am committed to working together with you to support it,” the mayor said.
Parker added that the arena would bring in more than $1.3 billion of private investment in the city. The legislative package now heads to Philadelphia’s City Council for approval.
“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,” a Sixers spokesperson told On Pattison.
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A Sixers team spokesperson told On Pattison’s @NBAKrell: pic.twitter.com/C53c9nBYcT
— On Pattison (@OnPattison) September 18, 2024
Were the Sixers going to move to New Jersey?
There was concern the Sixers would leave the city. Camden, New Jersey, made a proposal to move the Sixers across the river with the promise of a new arena along the waterfront.
If approved by the City Council, the arena is expected to open in 2031. The Sixers currently play and are a tenant at Wells Fargo Center, which is owned by Comcast Spectacor, in South Philadelphia.
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