The Philadelphia 76ers are seeking a new place to call home when their lease for the Wells Fargo Center expires in 2031. They have set their sights on Market Street in Center City for the location of their new arena, 76Place. David Adelman, one of the Sixers' co-owners and the chairman of 76 DevCorp, is leading the project forward.
The plans were announced last year for the Sixers to privately fund a $1.3 billion arena on Market Street. It would occupy part of the Fashion District Philadelphia mall that is sandwiched between 10th Street and 11th Street and, in the hopes of Adelman, will turn the region into a thriving, bustling center for commerce once again.
Adelman discussed several aspects of the Sixers' new proposed arena on Crossing Broadcast. The proposed venue would potentially bring a new buzz but is not without a litany of concerns.
Reason for wanting a new home
The Philadelphia teams in the four major American sports leagues all occupy the same complex. South Philly is home to not just the Sixers but the Eagles, Phillies and Flyers as well. With the Xfinity Live! sports bar located between the stadiums, it's an environment that Philly fans have come to know as the holy ground for all their sports dreams (and nightmares).
What makes Philly's NBA team different is that it is the only one of these four teams not to own its arena. The Sixers are a tenant in a Flyers-owned arena. It's not an uncommon living situation across professional sports but it is one that the Sixers are not interested in anymore. Adelman says that they want to “control their own destiny” with their own home.
“I wanna design, in Philadelphia, the best arena in the world. Full stop,” Adelman said. “We deserve to have nice things in Philadelphia, even though we don't think we do.”
The Sixers have outgrown their current home. Oftentimes, they have to go back to the team's practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, which is roughly a 15-minute drive away, to get treatment for players. The team has to wait to schedule its games after the Flyers and concerts book nights, leaving them with suboptimal scheduling choices.
Some of the complaints about the new arena are that it would break up the current setup, though the single-complex setup is not without drawbacks. Adelman says that, in an NBA survey, the biggest issue that Sixers fans identified with the current venue is traffic. The proposed arena has more accessible options for public transportation, though Adelman recognizes that it's something fans would have to get used to.
Adelman is ready for fans to embrace a relocation that would put them more inside of the city and closer to outside food and drink options. He envisions himself and Sixers fans going to local eateries before and after the game and explained that a massive portion of the fanbase already lives or works in Center City.
“The fan expects more,” the Sixers' co-owner said. “I want to be able to give our fan a different kind of experience and a more intimate experience than they are currently receiving right now.”
Chinatown concerns
The most pressing concerns about the Sixers' proposal regard its effect on Philadelphia's Chinatown. The new arena is located on a neighboring block and many of its residents and business owners oppose the venture over fears of displacing inhabitants and deteriorating the area's culture.
“I don’t want to be naive to the concerns,” Adelman said, “and I don’t wanna dismiss them.”
About 60-70 years ago, the city of Philadelphia used eminent domain to force Chinatown residents out to build the Vine Street Expressway, splitting the community in half. Adelman stressed that his proposal is not a similar endeavor. Still, the Sixers' plan to repurpose a structure already in place still poses the threat of rising rents and traffic in the area.
Adelman expressed a desire to help the community and said he has offered to market Chinatown businesses on game days. “The lack of affordability in their community is an issue. We want to be a provider of affordable housing, a provider of capital to help stabilize that need,” the Sixers co-owner said, later proposing to “help provide capital for cleaning, safety ambassadors, lighting and security cameras.”
Protests of the arena have become more common and another one is scheduled for Saturday, June 10. The “No Arena in the Heart of Our City March and Rally” demonstration is backed by over 15 local organizations and features numerous performers as it marches through Chinatown and to City Hall.
“We will not displace one business or one resident with the new arena,” Adelman said. “I am taking one box and building another box in its place.” Adelman did not recall a similar level of protest when the Fashion District underwent a $400 million renovation in 2016.
In taking the steps to plan out the Sixers' proposed arena, Adelman said that the company “spent the last year going on a listening tour. The goal was to get as much input, feedback as possible, [and] evolve the plans as part of that.” Their efforts landed them on Market Street, right next to a vulnerable community. The Sixers are looking to make the relationship work rather than find a new one.
“I have no Plan B,” Adelman said when asked if the arena doesn’t get approval for its current proposed location. “I don’t work that way.”
Possibility of WNBA expansion in Philadelphia
While the new arena would be a natural target as a site for concerts, the Sixers ownership group would be tasked with figuring out what to do when there isn’t any basketball to be played. Adelman said that the arena will sit above retail stores and public transportation, retaining the area's accessibility on empty nights. He also said that the arena could serve as a “community asset” that hosts graduation ceremonies and banquets.
One suggestion gaining steam is to bring summer basketball to the arena with a WNBA team, which Philadelphia has never had in the 27-year history of the league. Adding a team would bring around 20 home games between May and September.
Adelman says Sixers brass has talked about the possibility of bringing in a WNBA team but that he is not willing to sign a lease with the Wells Fargo Center for another team. He did say that he would be willing to invest and that he has “been in deep discussions” with the group that is looking to land a WNBA team in Philly, which is led by part-time Philly resident and comedian Wanda Sykes.
One hurdle to overcome, Adelman says, is the fact that the NBA would prefer WNBA teams to have their own ownership groups, allowing it to concentrate fully on the WNBA team instead of treating it like an afterthought. Despite this preference, five other teams share an ownership group with an NBA team and three others share one with another pro team. The WNBA has a rumored group of cities it is targeting for expansion in the coming years and Philadelphia isn't among them. By the 2030s, of course, the city could be ready for it.
The Sixers' proposal is still in its infancy but its ownership group is hellbent on making it work. “The best deals are generally where not everyone gets what they want,” Adelman said. “We all need to win and we all need to lose a little bit. I believe more people will win as a result of this.”
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