After several rounds of hearings on a proposal to bring a $1.3 billion arena for the Philadelphia 76ers to Center City, on Monday night, Dec. 2, 2024, City Council's Committee of the Whole will hold, what could be, the final opportunity for members of the public to provide input before the plan heads to a vote.
On Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, from 6 to 9 p.m. at City Hall, City Council will host its final scheduled hearing for public testimony on the Sixers arena plan.
About 150 people spoke for and against the proposed arena, with those against it being a part of the overwhelming majority.
"In a 50-year career in the industry,] I frequently evaluated or developed project plans, the arena project is about the worst plan I have ever encountered," one person who spoke during public comment said.
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"I was at a speech where Mayor Parker spoke. In that speech she talked about One Philly, a united city. She talked about building 30,000 affordable homes. She talked about the power of the people is greater than the people in power, the power of the people is greater than the people in power. With 70% of the city against, the only vote is no," another person said.
Those who spoke in support of the project were mostly union members of IBEW.
"This is what this is about. We have a chance to fix Market East. Have the Sixers stadium come down here and put thousands of people to work, create jobs and union jobs which I'm damn proud to create," a member of IBEW said.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada says they might have to bring the developers back for more questioning, as well as the Parker administration team.
"This project is probably one of the most important projects we are discussing as a legislative body. A decision that we are going to have to make. It's going to be a challenging one because we are not going to be able to please everyone," Lozada said.
A final legislative hearing will be held in City Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, all throughout the day. The plan could then be moved out of committee and, potentially, be heard for a first reading at City Council's meeting on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024.
Depending on what happens at that meeting, the legislative package of bills for the arena plan could then potentially be voted on by City Council during its meeting on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.
City Council's Committee of the Whole has been holding a series of hearings on the plan to bring a new arena for the Philadelphia 76ers to Center City, between Market and Filbert streets at 10th and 11th streets since Nov. 12, 2024.
Many in the communities closest to the proposed site of the arena have long opposed the plan.
Also, City Council has also created a website to provide additional information on the ongoing Sixers arena deliberations. It's here: https://phlcouncil.com/arena-info/.
How to sign up to testify
Anyone who hasn't already signed up to speak at the Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, hearing with the Chief Clerk's Office for City Council may still have the opportunity to testify by coming to the public comment sessions inside Room 400, on the fourth floor of City Hall and signing up and testify at that day’s hearing.
If anyone needs translation services during the Sixers Arena hearings, contact the Chief Clerk’s Office at 215-686-3407 or arena.hearings@phila.gov.
Proposed Sixers Arena timeline
Even though Mayor Cherelle Parker has openly supported the Sixers proposal to build a new arena in Center City, the decision falls on City Council.
The Sixers have about a month left to get the arena approved so they can get construction started, with the hopes of the proposed arena opening in 2031, when their current lease at the Wells Fargo Center is up.
They are planning for there to be six years of construction to build the new arena.
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