PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The City of Philadelphia is launching an independent impact study of the proposed 76ers arena that is slated to neighbor Chinatown.
The proposal, which would sit at 10th and Market streets, has been opposed by many in the Chinatown community. Neighborhood advocates have pushed for a detailed impact study — specifically, what construction and the new stadium would mean for parking, public transportation and housing prices, among other concerns.
The city announced Wednesday it is accepting proposals from consulting firms to lead the study.
“This project is an exciting opportunity for the city and the downtown and private investment, so there’s a lot of potential upside to it,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “But we truly can’t make a decision with moving forward until we have the data that comes as a result of the study.”
Kenney assured the study would indeed be independent. A Sixers spokesperson also said the organization is fully supportive of the analysis.
“We won’t try to influence it,” Kenney said. “And neither will the Sixers or the opponents. … We’ll get, I think, what the true facts are and the true impact is.”
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A spokesperson for the Sixers said many construction workers and contractors attended a rally in support of the proposal. KYW Newsradio was not present.
At a Chinatown community meeting Wednesday, opposition remained strong. Ellen Somekawa with the Save Chinatown Coalition applauded the city for taking the initiative, but she isn’t pleased with the quick turnaround. Proposals from consulting firms are due on April 28.
“We are very concerned that this was posted suddenly, without advanced knowledge of our community,” she said.
“We understand that this impacts more than Chinatown,” she continued. “That yes, we have a central concern on preserving this sacred and treasured neighborhood that’s irreplaceable, that’s true. But we also think that this arena is not going to be good for Philadelphians as a whole, and those impacts must be studied as well.”
Developers aim for demolition to begin in 2026 and to open the $1.3 billion stadium in September 2031.
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