PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Organizers against the proposed 76ers arena rallied outside City Hall Thursday, greeting council members as they returned for their new term.
Around 40 organizers from the Save Chinatown Coalition gathered under tents as a constant drizzle of rain fell over them.
“Today we’re visiting every City Council member and we’re gonna ask them, ‘Do you think it’s acceptable for 76 Place to be subsidized by state or federal taxpayers?’” said organizer Mohan Seshadri.
Seshadri said his main grievance is with Councilmember Mark Squilla, who said at a POWER Interfaith meeting in December that he would not support the arena project without developers committing to taking no public funds for it.
That comment is something organizers say Squilla is now walking back, with the possibility that state and federal dollars could still be used.
“I committed that I would not support the city putting public funding into the project, and so … maybe I didn’t say ‘city,’ … but I don’t have that authority to do something like that,” Squilla said.
As a small business owner in Chinatown and a long-term resident of the city, Zu Lin feels betrayed.
“I urge Councilman Squilla to keep his promises and protect Chinatown, a vibrant community that has so much to offer to the city.”
Seshadri said using state and federal funds would mean city residents are still paying for the arena.
“Regardless of whether you think the heart of our city is an acceptable place for an arena, I think we can all agree that no taxpayer dollars should subsidize what has been and is presented as a 100% privately-funded arena.”
On 76 Place’s website, the Sixers say they are not seeking subsidies from the city, but are open to exploring state or federal programs to “enhance the project.”
The Sixers announced they’ve garnered more than 30,000 signatures for a petition supporting the arena.
Leaders like Squilla are waiting on the results of an independent impact study commissioned by the city looking into the impact of the arena on the surrounding neighborhoods. Until that’s released, no further movement is expected on the arena.
“I think sometime this year there will be a decision whether to move forward or not,” Squilla said. “And I would think that decision of introduction would probably be, if we’re gonna introduce it or not, by the summertime.”