The Philadelphia 76ers and Comcast have come together on plans to build a new arena in South Philadelphia, abandoning plans to build a $1.3 billion arena in Center City.
The shift comes more than two years after the original plans for an Market East arena were first announced, after involvement from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, writes Paul Schwedelson for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Sixers managing partner Josh Harris said that despite the twists and turns of the arena plans, staying in South Philly makes sense.
“Our North Star was doing the right thing by Philly,” he said. “When Comcast and Brian [Roberts] and Adam Silver said, ‘Look, guys, you’re fighting. Let’s try to come together,’ we felt we could build a better arena, we can also revitalize Market East and we felt that was a one-plus-one-equals-three situation. So we pivoted.”
Things changed relatively quickly, as less than three days before the news broke, city officials were touting the positive impact a Center City arena would have on revitalizing the Market East corridor.
Harris added that while the journey hasn’t been a straight line, it is the best solution.
Read more about what helped lead the Sixers and Comcast to remain in South Philly at the Philadelphia Business Journal.
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