Inside the last-ditch effort to derail the Sixers arena project
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Sixers arena opposition groups are ramping up pressure on Philadelphia lawmakers ahead of a looming City Council vote this month.
Why it matters: It's a make-or-break moment that will determine the fate of the $1.3 billion Center City project.
Driving the news: The Save Chinatown Coalition is accelerating canvassing efforts to sway votes on a legislative package needed to move the project forward, which includes zoning changes and a $50 million community benefits agreement.
- A preliminary vote could come Thursday.
- City Council's final session of the year is Dec. 19.
Zoom in: The coalition, made up of dozens of groups, is targeting 10 legislators they believe could tip the scales, Mohan Seshadri, a member of the Save Chinatown Coalition, tells Axios. Those are:
- Jamie Gauthier, Jeffery Young Jr., Quetcy Lozada, Cindy Bass, Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Isaiah Thomas, Nina Ahmad, Rue Landau, Kendra Brooks and Nicolas O'Rourke.
- Some, like Young and O'Rourke, have publicly criticized the project, but most have yet to take a firm stance.
🧮 By the numbers: Nine votes on the 17-member council are needed to approve the legislation — or derail it.
Reality check: The arena legislation is likely to pass.
- The project has significant backers, including Mayor Cherelle Parker and the politically powerful building trades unions.
What they're saying: The anti-arena coalition says members are also focusing on reaching the city's working-class communities, who they say stand to lose the most due to potential displacement, high housing costs and increased traffic.
- "What kind of city are we? Is this a city for working-class communities or is this a city for billionaires?" asks Seshadri, who is also executive director of the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance.
Between the lines: The Sixers, who proposed the project in 2022, maintain they need sign-off on the legislation by year-end to ensure the stadium can be completed in 2031.
- That's when the team's contract with its current landlord, Comcast Spectacor, expires.
The intrigue: The Sixers recently signaled that they could potentially kick in more than the $50 million the team agreed to for a community benefits agreement.
📐The latest design: The 18,500-seat arena is proposed for 10th and Market streets atop SEPTA's Jefferson Station.
- An accompanying 20-story residential tower was nixed from recent plans.
What's ahead: The coalition says it's planning more demonstrations in the coming weeks.