PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — When fans go to the Wells Fargo Center this fall, they will see a completely re-done club level.
"It's tremendous," Comcast Spectacor President of Business Operations Valerie Camillo said.
"This is the finishing touch on the interior renovations that are fan-facing. We still are working on the locker rooms. But this has been a labor of love. We started the project back in 2016 and to see it come to completion is just a delight. Real exciting."
Some of the new club-level features include new bars that transform based on the event, whether it's a Philadelphia Flyers or Philadelphia 76ers game or a concert. There will be themed bars, including one that pays homage to the Spectrum. There will also be a celebrity chef program that draws big-name chefs from Philadelphia.
"In a lot of ways, I like to think of this level almost like a cruise ship. There's a little bit of something different for everybody that comes," Wells Fargo Center Senior Vice President and Arena General Manager Phil Laws said.
"This is something entirely new to the Philly market," Laws said of the loge seating, a four-person, four-seat box which can be bought for Sixers and Flyers games.
"Wait service. Best seat in the house. It's actually a heated seat, over 25 inches wide, so the most comfortable thing we've ever put in the building."
There will be a new seating layout, including brand new loge seating.
The renovation of the club level is the latest phase in a lengthy, privately-funded renovation transformation project that began during the last decade that cost more than $300 million. Camillo hopes fans recognize the resources put into this, as well as their commitment to being completely up to date in technology while showing respect for the history of Philadelphia sports.
"We're committed to making this arena best in class," said Camillo. "On par with anything you can find anywhere in the country or even the world, and I think the $300 million investment we've made speaks to that. It's the largest transformation of an existing arena that's ever taken place."
"I think the quality that we've put into this renovation is really unmatched around the country," Laws added. "It's just a completely transformed building that's ready to go for another 20 to 30 years."
Will Sixers stay in Wells Fargo Center beyond their current lease?
The big question is how much longer the Sixers will be a tenant in this building which opened in 1996. At that time, Comcast Spectacor owned both the Flyers and Sixers.
In 2011, Comcast Spectacor sold the 76ers to the ownership group led by Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who have since formed Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HBSE). The Sixers have remained tenants at Wells Fargo Center, but their lease expires in 2031.
In 2020, the Sixers proposed an arena project at Penn's Landing, which included a new home for the African American Museum of Philadelphia as well as investment in minority-owned businesses.
The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation did not choose their proposal for developing Penn's Landing. Instead, it picked the Durst Organization to redevelop the land.
Despite the Sixers’ efforts almost two years ago, Comcast Spectacor wants the 76ers to remain at Wells Fargo Center beyond 2031.
"We're making every investment that we can," Camillo said.
"We're hoping that they take a look around and say, ‘Look, this is a state-of-the-art building. It has everything that we could ask for and more.’ And beyond the arena, we're committed to developing our mixed-use rights and hopefully, they recognize the uniqueness of what the city of Philadelphia has and work to keep it together."
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When asked what kind of sense she gets about whether the Sixers are willing to stay beyond 2031, Camillo said in a fun manner, "Well, [their mascot] Franklin is here [for the start of club level renovations], so I think that speaks a lot. You know, I think that's best to [ask] them, but we're still in conversation with them. We're still very hopeful and hopefully, they recognize just how wonderful the Wells Fargo Center is and can be together into the future."
KYW Newsradio provided the Sixers with Camillo's comments about Comcast Spectacor's hope that they stay beyond 2031.
"The team enjoys a great partnership with Comcast Spectacor and appreciates the work they are doing with renovations to enhance the fan experience at Wells Fargo Center," said a 76ers spokesperson.
"The team continues to explore its options for when its lease expires in 2031."
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In the meantime, while the renovation of the club level at Wells Fargo Center brings a conclusion to the interior aspects of this project, there are plans for work on the exterior of the building as well as the locker rooms. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in summer 2023.
Beyond that, Comcast Spectacor has further visions of continuing to build up the Stadium District.
"We're also committed to continuing to develop our rights adjacent to Xfinity Live to bring in entertainment options that surround the game," Camillo explained. "Those could be everything from retail to entertainment to dining, and we believe that's the next phase once we're finished here with the transformation of the Wells Fargo Center."