PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — When most other restaurants and businesses were closed on Christmas Day, Chinatown businesses were open and busy. So, a group of neighbors and allies used the day to voice their opposition to the proposed 76ers arena that would border the neighborhood.
“Here comes Chinatown, here comes Chinatown,” carolers sang while standing in solidarity with the community’s opposition to the proposed $1.3 billion arena.
Since the proposal was announced, the developers have been met with a lot of pushback, and the community hasn’t backed down.
“When I walk down the street, I know people. And it’s really nice to be able to hear people speak the same language and look like me,” said Kaia Chau, who grew up walking the streets of Chinatown.
She was surrounded by supporters on Sunday — a group made up of Jewish Philadelphians and other allies.
“Just bringing awareness to the people walking through Chinatown,” she said. “There’s a really long tradition of Jewish people coming to Chinatown during Christmas, because both cultures don’t celebrate Christmas. So there’s this really long tradition and history of solidarity.”
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Chau, a co-leader of Students for the Preservation of Chinatown, has watched Chinatown fight against other big projects in years past.
“I wasn’t surprised, but I was also frustrated because my mom has spent so many years fighting gentrification, and my entire life all I’ve heard about is this fight, the same exact fight that Chinatown has had to do,” she said.
Shi Feng Lin owns a few shops in Chinatown. She doesn’t see a benefit to a massive arena being added to the Fashion District. The stadium would be built on Market Street between 10th and 11th streets.
“There’s already enough traffic and congestion here, and at the same, to the safety of Chinatown with the crowds,” she said via a translator.
At a recent meeting, 76ers reps said they believe an arena in that location could bring more economic activity to that area of the city.
The Sixers have previously said the arena would hold about 18,000 people and estimated it would host about 150 events a year. The current proposal doesn’t include any new parking lots.
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