2nd Ward Democrats Oppose the Proposed Sixers Arena and Support Chinatown

The Committee People of the Democratic 2nd Ward hold our elected officials accountable to the commitments they’ve made to our community. In the case of the proposed 76ers arena in Chinatown, this includes ensuring Councilmember Squilla follows through on his pledge to support Chinatown residents in their opposition to the proposed 76ers arena. 

The proposed 76ers arena threatens the livelihood, sustainability, and vibrancy of Chinatown, a haven for Asian immigrants and Asian-Americans in the greater Philadelphia region for over 150 years. Philadelphia’s Chinatown is one of the few remaining Chinatowns in a major East Coast city and it should be preserved. 

The proposed 76ers arena, which will be open roughly 1/3 of the year, will offer only seasonal jobs and low wage work without the guarantees and protections of a union that workers at the Wells Fargo Center currently have. The proposed 76ers arena also runs the risk, as all stadiums and arenas do, of catering to larger corporate partners rather than smaller local businesses, actively damaging the fabric of our city in Chinatown and in the surrounding neighborhoods. 

The 2 years of demolition and 4+ years of construction for the proposed 76ers arena will generate traffic jams and create hazards for cyclists. It will overwhelm existing parking infrastructure and disrupt access to all three area hospitals. Further, up to 6 major Center City SEPTA bus routes will be impacted, re-routing commutes and creating a transit burden for working people. 

The current designs for the proposed 76ers arena do not take into account the need to widen streets, a necessity for the amount of traffic that would be routed through the area during games and events (wide streets and ample parking already exist in the South Philadelphia Stadium District Complex). As this Inquirer article points out (Inga Saffron, “This stealth development is already turning East Market Street into a 24/7 neighborhood”, Phila Inquirer, June 22nd 2023), there are examples of development, in the vicinity, that would better suit the proposed 76ers arena site. 

The Democratic 2nd Ward will organize and participate in actions in coordination with the Save Chinatown coalition including discussing with neighbors, tabling at events, distributing signs, contacting Councilmember Squilla and At-Large councilmembers, and more. 

The Democratic 2nd Ward is proud to join the Philadelphia City of Neighborhoods (PCON), organizations, wards and small businesses who have drafted similar statements, resolutions or have signed on with the Save Chinatown Coalition to oppose the proposed 76ers arena and support Chinatown. 

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The Second Ward Democrats (phila2ndward.org) is made up of progressive neighbors who became the majority of committee persons in this Ward 4 years ago in an effort to move our government at all levels to create a racially, socially and economically just society.