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As It Happened

Sixers arena news: NBA commissioner Adam Silver's role; latest updates about new stadium project in South Philly

The Sixers and Comcast Spectacor, owner of the Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center, plan to build a new arena in South Philly slated to open in 2031.

Sixers co-owner David Adelman speaks at a news conference Monday, joined by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Sixers co-owner Josh Harris.
Sixers co-owner David Adelman speaks at a news conference Monday, joined by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Sixers co-owner Josh Harris.Read more
Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
What you should know

  1. The 76ers are going to remain in South Philly after abandoning their plan to build a new arena in Center City.

  2. Instead, the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Flyers and Wells Fargo Center, will work together to build a new arena in South Philly. Comcast will own naming rights for the new arena and take a minority stake in the Sixers.

  3. The Sixers say they remain committed to supporting revitalization efforts along East Market Street, but Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said her administration has not yet seen a specific proposal from the team or Comcast.

  4. The city will need to renegotiate a deal with the Sixers and Comcast on terms for the new South Philly arena, and will "start from scratch" on a new community benefits agreement.

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NBA commissioner Adam Silver didn't want two competing arena projects in Philly

By most accounts, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was key to bringing the Sixers and Comcast together.

The commissioner’s main priority was keeping the Sixers in Philadelphia regardless of which neighborhood they ended up in, according to sources with knowledge of behind-the-scenes conversations. As recently as the fall, the Sixers had entertained the idea of moving to Camden.

Silver, who has served as NBA commissioner since 2014, believed that having two competing Philadelphia arena projects in the same timeframe would be detrimental to both the city and the teams, according to the sources.

South Philly restaurateurs rejoice at Sixers arena news

In South Philadelphia, restaurateurs seem cautiously pleased with the news the Sixers have scuttled their plan to build an arena in Chinatown and now intend to construct a new complex in South Philly.

Just as the trade unions cheered the prospect of more work — a new arena for South Philadelphia and any revitalization on East Market — the Pennsylvania Lodging & Restaurant Association said it was “encouraged by hospitality-driven projects and investments that will lift up our industry by creating businesses, jobs, and experiences for visitors and residents.”

Even though a new South Philadelphia arena is years away with a projected opening date of 2031, there was a thumbs-up from “Skinny” Joey Merlino, who is about a month from opening Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks on Broad Street near Porter, a few blocks from the sports complex. “It brings a vibe to South Philly like no other and it’s great for all local businesses,” said Joe Perri, his spokesperson and cohost of the podcast “The Skinny With Joey Merlino.”

Why Sixers owner Josh Harris changed his mind about a Center City arena

Did Mayor Cherelle Parker whiff at the 'curveball' she was thrown?

When Mayor Cherelle L. Parker in September unveiled the terms of the agreement she reached with the 76ers to build a new arena in Center City, she vowed to go all out to help promote the project to the public and win City Council approval for it.

”We are fighting back to back for this,” Parker told reporters.

It turns out the 76ers did not have the mayor’s back.

David Adelman's big reversal on South Philly

Almost two weeks ago, David Adelman said 2024 was a good year for him, his businesses, and Philadelphia.

And it sure seemed like it. During a sentimental New Year’s Eve post on X, the billionaire shared a video montage of his accomplishments including the plans for the 76ers’ Center City arena.

Adelman, the lead developer and negotiator of the team’s Center City arena proposal, appeared to have gotten everything he wanted in 2024. After more than two years, Philadelphia City Council gave final approval in late December for the 76ers to build a new $1.3 billion arena on Market Street, and the project had the coveted endorsement of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

New Sixers community benefits agreement planned

Mayor Cherelle Parker said that the city will “start from scratch” on a new community benefits agreement, canceling the hotly debated plan with the 76ers and making way for a new one now that the stadium is planned for South Philadelphia.

As part of a now-defunct Center City stadium deal, the 76ers had agreed to provide $60 million worth of community benefits intended to offset the project’s impacts on surrounding communities and support city programs while avoiding paying regular property taxes.

The mayor said at a press conference Monday that the city is still committed to revitalizing East Market Street and supporting Chinatown. And in a new partnership with Comcast Spectator, the 76ers pledged to supporting a Market Street makeover even without a stadium in Center City. There has yet to be a specific proposal for the area now that a Center City stadium is no longer in the picture.