76ers' $1.3B Downtown Arena Proposal Approved After Philadelphia City Council Vote

The Philadelphia 76ers' potential move to a downtown arena cleared a hurdle Thursday.

Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports reported the proposal for a downtown arena was approved via a City Council vote. The proposal passed by a 12-5 vote, which comes after terms for a deal for a new $1.3 billion arena downtown were negotiated and revealed in September.

The Associated Press reported on the situation in September and noted the agreement was for the 76ers to finance the entire project without help from city funding.

What's more, the agreement included a $60 million investment in neighboring areas.

"I truly am proud having made this decision and negotiated an agreement that will definitely ensure that our Sixers are staying home right here in Philadelphia, where they should be," Mayor Cherelle Parker said in September.

However, as the AP noted, there has been "significant opposition" from some who are worried about the project's potential impact on the city's neighboring Chinatown and other areas. Among those concerns are worries that vulnerable residents will be forced to move out and that there will be an increase in vehicle traffic in typically pedestrian-friendly areas.

Hayden Mitman of NBC Philadelphia noted there were plenty of protests ahead of Thursday's vote with some wearing shirts that said "City Council sold out Philly." Law enforcement removed some protestors from the area.

There was a period for public comment ahead of the vote with proponents discussing the potential economic impact to the area and opponents stressing their concerns about the impact to the surrounding neighborhoods.

City Councilmember Mark Squilla said City Council will continue to meet with people in the community regarding the project even after the vote.

Developers hope to complete construction that is expected to start in 2028 in time to open the arena in 2031.

As the AP noted, team owners said they would not renew their lease for Wells Fargo Center in the city's South Philadelphia sports complex. That lease runs out in 2031.

The current arena opened in 1996.