‘We have to start from scratch:’ Mayor Cherelle Parker and city officials announce Sixers arena deal

The jump ball that was the Philadelphia 76ers’ future playing location has seemingly been grabbed and is in full possession of Comcast Spectacor. 

The team announced that the Sixers and Comcast have agreed to form a 50-50 joint venture to build a new arena in the South Philadelphia sports complex, going back on the controversial Center City arena development plan that passed through City Council just last month.

Mayor Cherelle Parker held a star-studded press conference Monday morning to announce the agreement and showcase all the parties involved in the planning process. The press conference, which featured remarks from the mayor, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and WNBA advocate Wanda Sykes, highlighted the surprising arena agreement unveiled Sunday. 

The announcement said the new arena in South Philly would open in 2031 and noted a "potential to accelerate to an earlier date." The team’s partnership with Comcast Spectacor, the owner of the Flyers and Wells Fargo Center, would “also include a 50-50 venture to invest in the revitalization of Market East in Center City.”

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the Sixers ownership group, and Comcast released a statement Monday morning confirming they have entered an agreement to “build a world-class, state-of-the-art arena” that will serve as the home of the Sixers and Philadelphia Flyers. Comcast would take a minority stake in the Sixers and join the team in a joint effort to bid for a Philadelphia WNBA team to play in the new arena as well. 

David Adelman, a limited partner of HBSE, said Monday that he recognizes that this change, coming just weeks after the team applauded the arena legislation passing through City Council, may be “confusing.” 

“While the arena will be built in South Philadelphia, the Sixers and Comcast are now partners and fully committed to revitalizing the once great Market East corridor,” he said, without offering details on how they plan to develop the Center City neighborhood. “(We’re committed) to create an even better fan experience, more jobs and economic development.”

Brian Roberts, Comcast CEO, said that as the arena process was “truly unraveling … we tried again harder.” Roberts, Adelman and the officials said the agreement took shape within the last two weeks as the parties negotiated a new development plan behind closed doors. 

Parker and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson admitted the agreement was unexpected but added that they’re rolling with what they believe is a “Plan B” that is better than the plan they passed last month. 

“These two corporate giants have been fighting back and forth throughout this process … This is a process of addition and not subtraction. Now we have two economic development projects instead of one,” Johnson said Monday. “I wish you could’ve gotten this deal done before starting the (legislative) process…We started off with a proposal to go downtown, but this a win-win, because plan B is better than plan A.”

Silver, joining via video call, said he firmly believes “HBSE and Comcast are going to build a truly special facility.”

“I’ve seen first-hand how vital cutting-edge arenas are to our cities. There are local jobs, local businesses and, most importantly, bring people together like almost nothing else can,” Silver said Monday. “This new collaboration will result in real, tangible benefits for the people of Philadelphia, not just with construction of a new arena but immediately with the Sixers and Comcast (partnership).” 

The agreement between the team, Comcast and labor leaders comes after all parties, including Parker and City Council, burned through political capital to get the Center City arena legislation passed in December. 

Members of the No Arena Coalition – a group of Chinatown organizations, businesses and individuals who have been the most outspoken against the arena – celebrated the news, saying Chinatown is “safe for now.” 

“We were clear from day one that it was dangerous to play in the viper pit with billionaires, but City Hall toyed with the snakes, and they got bit. 12 of 17 Councilmembers turned their backs on decades of research on the false promise of stadium developments, common sense, their voters, and the 70% of Philadelphians who opposed this arena,” the No Arena Coalition said in a statement. “As planning for the future of Center City continues, lessons must be learned, and the city needs a new class of politicians who respond to people’s needs instead of corporate greed.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro, who reaffirmed last week the state would not offer financial support to any arena development, said in a statement Monday that the Comcast and Sixers partnership is “historic.” 

“This historic partnership will benefit the entire city, making good on Mayor Parker’s commitment to lead a major revitalization of Market East, building on the momentum at the Bellwether District and the Navy Yard with a new world-class, best-in-the-nation arena in South Philly, strengthening Pennsylvania's reputation as the best sports destination in the world with a WNBA franchise in Philadelphia, and creating thousands of construction jobs in South Philly and on Market Street,” Shapiro said. “At every step of the way, I've encouraged the leaders of Comcast and the Sixers to put their differences aside and work together for the betterment of Philadelphia.”

Parker said the legislative package passed in December is now “null and void” and that the city has the “same amount of homework” to do on this new agreement before any new legislation is introduced to move forward with the new development plans. 

Any new arena agreement would include a new community benefits agreement, an aspect of the original agreement that held up negotiations and was a sticking point for various critics. 

Parker said the last-minute change was a “curveball” but that she would not let her ego and previous power struggles get in the way of progress. “Our decision-making was not in vain…I’m still the CEO of this city…I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”