76 Place: Opposition to proposed Sixers arena continues as City Council moves to vote
CENTER CITY - As city leaders push to meet a possible end-of-year deadline to approve the Philadelphia 76ers proposal for a new arena in Market East, opponents once again demanded City Council vote no.
It was smiles all around on the second floor of City Hall as the mayor signed bills on street safety and a road renaming, but the elephant in the room was the push to get the Sixers arena approved by an end-of-year deadline.
After first rejecting the idea, the Sixers now say they’ll pour more money into a $50 million community fund, as talks continue, but when pressed on that new figure, the mayor passed.
76 Place: Sixers' executives face-off against Philly City Council; 'The other viable option is Camden'
The final Philadelphia City Council hearings on the proposed 76 Place Arena in Market East took place Tuesday, with the Committee of the Whole nearing its first vote.
Mayor Cherelle Parker said, "City Council will continue its communication with the Sixers and quite frankly negotiations with them, but nothing is going to change my stance."
Parker strongly supports the building of an 18,500-seat arena, paid for by the team, in Market East on the border of Chinatown. As hearings on the plan wrapped up Tuesday in City Council, the body scheduled an early session for Thursday, possibly to vote the arena legislation out of committee and begin the process for potential final approval. But opposition within Chinatown remains strong.
Mayor Cherelle Parker holds emotional town hall regarding Sixers arena
Mayor Cherelle Parker held a community 76ers arena town hall Tuesday night, taking her appeal and her support for the new arena to West Philadelphia, saying the new arena could revitalize the once bustling commercial corridor.
Romana Lee-Akiyama is a member of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. She said Wednesday, "To be clear we do not support this arena, and no amount of money will offset the destruction of neighborhoods and local businesses."
Members of community and religious groups, once again, stood outside City Hall to denounce the proposal and argue that the community fund must balloon to at least $300 million to fly. Rev. Robin Hynicka is a member of POWER Interfaith. He said, "We are absolutely against this project. We are absolutely flabbergasted this process has been so railroaded and we call on City Council to vote no."