Mayor Out of Touch? Philadelphia Students Condemn Approved Construction of 76 Place

by Rashad Buchanan

The fictional trope of rich businessmen demolishing beloved areas to build their own property may become a reality in Philadelphia, thanks to Mayor Cherelle Parker approving of and endorsing the construction of 76 Place, which would be an arena that primarily housed the 76ers basketball team in the city's Chinatown neighborhood.

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the sports management company founded by Josh Harris and David Blitzer which owns and manages the 76ers, have developed a plan to leave the team's home of the Wells Fargo Center, owned by Comcast Spectator, who also owns the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team, in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex since 2022. The plan involves having several buildings around the city's Fashion District demolished and replaced by 76 Place, but public opposition to the plan has left the answer to if it 76 Place vague, especially when the 76ers ownership has hinted towards moving to Camden, New Jersey and the fact Comcast Spectator has expressed hope to build a biomedical research center in the same area.

"We need to hear more about it. [The research facility]’s already better just by the fact it will not be demolition and reconstruction…” Debbie Wei, an important figure for the Save Chinatown Coalition and detractor for the 76er Place proposition, stated in a September interview with NBC Philadelphia.

Despite public opinion being overwhelmingly negative towards the proposal, which included analysis of the downsides to the plan such as traffic and parking issues for the proposed stadium, Mayor Parker’s approval and endorsement increased the 76ers’ chance of getting the new arena, stating in her video address that it will help the city thanks to “more than $1.3 billion of private investment”.

“My administration has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers…I WHOLEHEARTEDLY believe that this is the right deal for the people of Philadelphia,” Parker announced in a video address posted on the official Philadelphia mayor Twitter account on September 18th.

Philadelphians have given both the proposal and Mayor Parker high amounts of criticism following Parker’s announcement. Former Eagles center Jason Kelce has openly denounced the plan and the possible alternative of the 76ers moving to Camden, stating that the situation “sucks” for fans, is not for the city's benefit, especially when Harris is managing partner for two of Philly's rival teams, and cited similarities to the original Cleveland Browns leaving for Baltimore .

“All of these people devoted all their time, all of their efforts, all of their money and a lifetime of fandom toward this team, and now you’re going to strong-arm people against what the city wants,” Kelce said on WIP-FM, a sports-centered radio station for Philadelphia, following Parker’s announcement.

Meanwhile, at George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science, seniors were similarly critical of the mayor’s decision.

Jala Afif-Hayes, who has spent the summer between her junior and senior year openly spreading awareness on how to oppose the 76er Place’s approval on social media, did not mince her words regarding her mayor’s decision. 

“I think that was a bad choice, and I think [Parker]’s very money hungry... I feel like everyone our age has like, the same opinion about this, like, stadium being built” Jala said.

Some of the students did not know about the build or Parker’s approval until recently, but had strong opinions regarding it when they got a fuller picture.

“I think it’s really weird because, well, first of all, the mayor has a lot of influence, so it’s really unfortunate, and secondly, doing something that is so easily going to impact the lives of so many people…may set a standard for corporations in the future,” Carver’s Marlee Brown said. She later stated that the turn of events cemented her stance on the carelessness of corporations.

Like many protesters of the proposed stadium, the students interviewed shared the opinion that the idea of the new arena not only destroys the culture of Chinatown, but will lead to multiple downsides to the city’s residents, especially in the immediate area.

Justus Mendoza, a Chinese student of the high school, believed that the concept was nonsense to the point he hoped that the Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment Group could elaborate on why they would come up with something so “stupid”. 

“Do we really need another stadium when we have one already?" Justus asked. "And do we really need one right in the middle of Center City, in which a stadium will make more trash, which is already a problem, and more homelessness, which is also a problem?” 

With all of the opposition and opinions of the people of Philadelphia, with ranges from fame and their connection to Center City and Chinatown, it seems like most are fine with the South Philadelphia Sports Complex and do not want a new stadium in Center City, save for those who may gain personal profit from the arena’s completion.

“She wants to build a stadium, which a lot of people have said is a terrible idea…so I think she’s stupid.” Afif-Hayes starkly summarizes town disapproval of Parker.