Mayor Cherelle Parker continues to make the case for the construction of a new arena for the Philadelphia 76ers in Center City, and she brought her argument to a neighborhood meeting in the Mount Airy section of the city on Monday evening.
Parker told community members gathered at the Mount Airy Church of God In Christ that her deal with the team to build a new venue will benefit the entire city, not just the immediate area around 10th and Market Streets where the proposed arena would be built.
"I want to see it thrive because quite frankly, I think we have the best Chinatown in the nation and we should do absolutely nothing except to see it grow," Parker said.
Opposition to the new arena has been loud from those in Chinatown since the very beginning, as opponents claim it will ruin the fabric of the neighborhood. The arena would be built just on the edge of the traditional boundaries of the Chinatown neighborhood. Protestors have frequently demonstrated in and around City Hall during City Council meetings regarding arena legislation.
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In a statement released to NBC10 from Black Philly 4 Chinatown on Monday, the group says that "nothing about this arena proposal is beneficial to Black Philadelphians," adding that "low wage jobs, a billion dollars in tax giveaways, and that pitiful [community benefits agreement] set a dangerous blueprint for future developments to bulldoze Black communities."
In fact, ahead of Tuesday's hearing on the arena plan before City Council, members of Black Philly 4 Chinatown joined elected officials in order to protest the development proposal.
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Democratic Philadelphia State Representative Rick Krajewski joined the group to say that the African American community is being abused by billionaire developers and corporations to endorse pet projects.
"Time and time again, our existence is reduced down to a singular expression," he said.
In selling the project to the crowd at the neighborhood meeting on Monday, Mayor Parker said that it will be a billion-dollar project funded with zero direct investment from the city while touting job creation and "over $700 million in new tax revenues for the city and for the school district."
Parker also touted that $50 million community benefits agreement, or CBA, in the arena deal struck between her administration and the Sixers.
"It will support nearby communities and make a citywide investment in education and economic opportunity," the mayor said. "The CBA investments will help jump start a broader, city-led focus on Chinatown that is aimed at ensuring its ongoing vitality and strengthening its treasure."
In City Council, members have pressed Sixers leadership on committing more than $50 million in that fund. Councilmember Mark Squilla -- who represents the district where the arena would be built -- has raised doubts that the legislation will pass without a bigger financial commitment from the Sixers.
“I think if I’m hearing what councilmembers are saying right now, it'd be a major challenge to have the legislation pass without any changes to the [community benefits agreement],” Squilla said at a November 13 hearing.
City Council will host their sixth public meeting regarding the arena on Tuesday at City Hall.
Even though Mayor Parker continues to openly support the proposal, the decision ultimately falls on City Council. In total, there are six pieces of legislation in front of the Council that will determine whether or not the project moves forward, and all are outlined on the Council website.
