PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council has passed legislation that clears the way for the 76ers’ proposed $1.5 billion arena project in Center City, ending months of deliberations and negotiations. A final vote to fully greenlight the project is scheduled for next week.
Council, sitting as the Committee of the Whole, passed the bills Thursday morning 12-4. Only nine votes were needed for the legislation to pass.
The bills had been held while City Council tried to get the 76ers to put up more money for affordable housing and business displacement in the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), a contract that helps the neighborhoods and businesses most affected by the arena.
The CBA has been a major sticking point. The Sixers initially agreed to $50 million but after negotiations last week, the team set the CBA at $60 million.
Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Rue Landau said that’s still not enough. They voted “no.”
“In the end, the deal just never got good enough,” said Landau. “The deal came to us with virtually no anti-displacement protections. The deal’s leaving council with virtually no anti-displacement protection.”
Community groups and even some council members had argued the Sixers should pay upward of $300 million toward the CBA.
In the end, the legislation passed with just a few amendments.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson had to shout to be heard over the chanting and booing from arena opponents. But as soon as the bills passed, cheers roared from supporters who were also in the chambers for the long-awaited vote.
The Sixers have maintained that City Council approval is needed by the end of the year in order for the arena to open as scheduled in 2031 — when the team’s lease is up at the Wells Fargo Center.
The legislation now advances to a final vote set for next week.