Philadelphia officials say they will independently evaluate Sixers proposal for $1.3 billion arena in Center City

Mayor Jim Kenney announced that the city will undertake an independent, comprehensive evaluation of the impact, opportunities, and challenges of the Sixers’ plan to build a $1.3 billion arena in Center City.

The team’s proposal has generated wide attention, the mayor said in making the announcement Wednesday afternoon, and “while it’s an exciting opportunity, we must understand the impact it may have on the surrounding communities before any plans move forward.”

A spokesperson for the Sixers’ development partnership, 76 Devcorp, said the organization fully supports the analysis and looks forward to collaborating with city leadership.

The team has pitched the arena as a huge win for the city, offering investment and development on a downtrodden stretch of Market Street East and moving the region into a greener future with reliance on public transportation.

Chinatown residents and community leaders have voiced loud opposition to having an arena built on the neighborhood’s doorstep. People had already planned to gather in Chinatown on Wednesday night to continue a series of discussions on the project, and two protests are planned for later this month.

The privately funded venue would rise four blocks from City Hall, on the footprint of 10th to 11th and Market to Filbert Streets. Construction would claim one-third of the Fashion District mall and the bus station on Filbert Street — and touch Chinatown at Cuthbert Street.

The team says it won’t seek funding from the city — though it’s open to state and federal money — and won’t displace a single home or business in Chinatown.

The Sixers recently moved their self-imposed deadline for obtaining city approvals from June to the fall.

“It is too early in the process to know the specific impacts of the proposed downtown arena,” said Kenney, who is in his last year in office. “That is why over the coming months, several city and public agency partners, as well as third-party consultants, will complete various technical studies.”

Those studies will assess building design, community impact, urban planning, economics, parking, and traffic. The city’s lead economic-development agency, PIDC, a nonprofit founded in 1958 by the city and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, will facilitate the city’s due-diligence inquiries, the mayor said.

Neeta Patel, interim executive director of Asian Americans United, an advocacy group, said that “given the bad-faith actions and secrecy of arena developers,” she was pleased to see the city undertaking research into the project and how it would impact Chinatown, other surrounding neighborhoods, and Philadelphia as a whole.

Extensive analysis of sports arenas shows they provide little economic benefit for host cities, she noted.

“Development in the heart of our city must be driven with the best interests of Philadelphia and Philadelphians in mind,” Patel said.

Community organizers have developed their own proposal to outline the scope and scale of an impact study, and shared that with city officials including Councilmember Mark Squilla, who represents the district where the arena site is located, she said. Patel expects the city to state the standards it intends to apply in selecting potential consultants, to ensure both impartiality and full examination of the project’s economic, social, and cultural ramifications.

The 76 Devcorp partnership consists of Josh Harris and David Blitzer, of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns and runs the Sixers, and David Adelman, a major city developer who is part-owner of the team. Adelman has pledged to build the finest arena in the country, a project that will bring not just basketball but economic renewal and vitality to East Market Street.

The arena project has become a major issue in the heated race for mayor, ahead of the May 16 primary election, and served as a key point of contention at the candidates’ debate Tuesday night.

Seven of the top candidates were asked to provide a yes-or-no answer if they would support the arena project as of now.

Only three answered. Businessman Jeff Brown voiced support, calling the proposal “an important project for the city.” Former Councilmember Helen Gym and ex-City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart said they would not support the project today. Both have cited opposition by Chinatown.

Gym said she recently met with Adelman. After initially saying the two didn’t “discuss anything,” she later said she told him she was not in favor of public subsidies for arena projects. She also invoked the recent news that a professional sports team — which many believe to be the Sixers — gave $250,000 to a super PAC backing Jeff Brown’s candidacy, saying: “It is kind of trash that they tried to buy one of the candidates on this stage.”

The Sixers have not responded to repeated requests for comment on the $250,000.

Brown later said he did not know whether the 76ers made a donation, saying “it wouldn’t matter to me anyway.”

On Wednesday the mayor said that for the project to move forward, it’s imperative “that the development team ensure the project works for the surrounding communities.”

The city continues to encourage the developers to ensure that those most directly affected are involved and engaged throughout every step of the process, he added.