In what has proven to be the most anticipated city council legislation in recent memory, Councilmember Mark Squilla introduced the 13 ordinances and resolutions enabling the Philadelphia 76ers to build their new arena in an area adjacent to Chinatown and the Gayborhood.
The raucous meeting was punctuated by frequent stoppages due to chants, including a 10-minute delay where anti-arena activist Debbie Wei was forcibly removed.
According to a press release issued by the No Arena Coalition, Wei was violently dragged from the meeting, “leaving her with bruises on her arms as security removed her from the building and told her she was not allowed to re-enter.”
“This is unacceptable,” Wei said via press release. “It’s further proof of the hostility and disrespect City Hall has toward the people of this city, seniors, and any vision that differs from their own. They’re not carrying billionaires out, that’s for sure.”
Tensions were high throughout the day, as both pro-arena and anti-arena activists converged on City Hall well before the building opened at 8 AM.
In introducing the legislative package, Squilla said it was important to hear from the communities the proposed project would impact.
“After 30 days of review and input from the stakeholders, in partnership with the mayor, we incorporated and funded an arena district and a transit oversight plan,” Squilla said. “In the community benefits agreement, we added legislation for a Chinatown zoning overlay that will be worked out with the community to include affordable housing, protect small businesses, and implement use controls.”
Squilla also said a cultural TIF, intended to help preserve and support Chinatown’s legacy, was added to the legislative package. TIFs, or Tax Increment Financing programs, “provides credit enhancement for TIF projects to improve market access and lower capital costs through the use of guarantees to issuers of bonds or other indebtedness,” according to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Immediately following the council meeting, Squilla fielded questions from the press, further elaborating on crucial details of the proposed legislation. Among the items Squilla mentioned that are new additions to the proposed legislation:
- A new cultural overlay zone is being introduced in Chinatown to address structural concerns, promote affordable housing, and support small businesses.
An oversight committee to address issues like traffic, transit, and parking is being proposed. This committee will be comprised of stakeholders like SEPTA, the Parking Authority, and community members.
Plans are in place to manage traffic and transit disruptions during the construction, with ongoing input from the oversight committee.
A report will be developed every six months to assess the effectiveness of these plans.
One of the critical issues at the heart of the legislation is the Community Benefits Agreement- the allocation of funds earmarked for community development and other initiatives aimed at maintaining the continuity of the neighborhood as the project progresses. Below are the updated allocations:
Chinatown and adjacent community investments ($21.6M)
Arena Special Services District: Funding support for new special services district for Arena area
$14,150,000
Annual payment of $707,500K/year for 20 years; starts in FY2026
Housing Support: Support for a range of City- coordinated housing programs in Chinatown, including affordable housing preservation, rental assistance, senior housing, and homeownership support for police, nurses, teachers, etc., up to 120% AMI
$3,000,000
Annual payments of $1M/year for 3 years; starts in FY2031
Business Disruption Fund: Grant funding to assist small businesses impacted during the construction of Arena
$1,600,000
Annual payment of $400K/year for 4 years; starts in FY2026
New Neighborhood Security Sub-Station: Funding for construction of new sub-station that will co-locate public safety from PPD, SEPTA, CCD, Jefferson, etc.
One-time $1.5M; payment in FY2032
PHL/TCB Expansion: Expansion of the successful PHL TCB program in coordination with Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation
$1,250,000
Annual payment of $125K/year for 10 years; starts in FY2032
Chinatown master plan: Contribution toward comprehensive master planning effort for Chinatown, to be managed by the City; plan will be undertaken in conjunction with the Chinatown community and stakeholders, and address traffic, parking, and other issues related to daily functioning and quality-of-life in the community
$500,000
One-time $500K; payment in FY2026
Market East master plan: Contribution toward comprehensive master planning effort for Market East, to be managed by the City
One-time $500K; payment in FY2027
Citywide investments ($28.4M)
City College for Municipal Employment: Support for education, training, workforce development, and business development, including related to employment and contracting opportunities to come from the Arena (direct and indirect), ancillary development, and ongoing commerce and business activity in adjacent communities
$4,500,000
Annual payment of $225K/year for 20 years; starts in FY2026
Extended Day/Extended Year (ED-EY) Schooling: Funding to help support a signature initiative to close the enrichment gap for Philadelphia students and support working families through free before- and after-school care featuring extensive enrichment offerings
$7,000,000
Annual payment of $100K/year for first 6 years; followed by $800K/year for the next 8 years; starts in FY2026
Business Readiness Program: Assistance and support for businesses to prepare them to compete for work associated with the Arena and ancillary development on Market East; to be led by Diverse Chambers Coalition
$3,750,000
Annual payment of $625K/year for 6 years; starts in FY2027
Subsidized Public Transit Fund: Funding to support subsidization and incentivization of SEPTA and PATCO use for Arena events (games, concerts, family shows, etc.)
$3,000,000
Annual payment of $1M/year for 3 years; starts in FY2032
Power Up Your Business: Funding to support businesses/entrepreneurs participating in the Power Up Your Business program; program offerings will demonstrate cultural competency and be accessible to those with Limited English Proficiency
$2,000,000
Annual payment of $200K/year for 10 years; starts in FY2026
Public Schools Ticket Plan for 76ers Games: Free tickets to be provided for each home game, to benefit traditional public and charter schools
$3,000,000
Annual in-kind contribution (for 30 years); starts in FY2032
Expansion of Sixers Neighborhood Basketball League: Expansion of Sixers neighborhood basketball league to 10 leagues per year
$1,500,000
Annual cost of $150,000 for 10 years; starts in FY2033
Business Barriers Fund: Seed funding for pooled resources to assist small businesses with obtaining insurance, bonding, paying fees, etc., that are needed to access work associated with Arena and adjacent development; combination of direct financial assistance and technical assistance
$1,000,000
One-time payment of $1M; payment in FY2026
Internship/Employment Pipeline for High School and College Students: Internship and employment onboarding opportunities for high school and college students from disadvantaged communities and PA HBCUs (Cheney University and Lincoln University) for Front-of-House and Back-of-House roles with the Sixers and in Arena operations
$1,000,000
Annual cost of $100K/year for 10 years; starts in FY2033
Community Use of Arena: Arena available for community use for five (5) events per year, including function and atrium space
In-kind annual cost of $25K for 30 years; starts in FY2032
Our reporters sit through hours of city council meetings, dig through piles of documents, and ask tough questions other media overlook. Because we’re committed to addressing Philadelphia’s poverty crisis — and challenging those who sustain it. If you think this work is important too, please support our journalism.
We’re counting on readers like you.
