Philly City Council takes first step toward approving Sixers’ arena proposal

Philadelphia City Council has started the process of authorizing the Sixers’ arena proposal, previewing the potential legislative battle over the controversial development.

Lawmakers approved a pair of procedural resolutions Thursday that help lay the groundwork for the project to be built on city-owned land — if the $1.55 billion development is ultimately approved by Council.

“Today’s vote is not an actual vote on the arena or anything like that. Today’s vote is a resolution that’s required as it relates to the process in order to put us in a position to be able to have a conversation,” said Councilmember Isaiah Thomas.

One measure is the companion to a bill removing the arena site from the existing Gallery at Market East Tax Increment Financing District. The other is tied to a bill removing the arena site from the existing Gallery Neighborhood Improvement District.

If the arena is approved, it will effectively be tax-exempt, meaning it cannot be part of either district, which rely on taxes and a special assessment, respectively.

The resolutions both passed with an 11-5 vote.

Councilmembers Catherine Gilmore Richardson, Thomas, Curtis Jones, Quetcy Lozada, Jim Harrity, Michael Driscoll, Brian O’Neill, Cindy Bass, Nina Ahmad, and Kenyatta Johnson voted in favor.

Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier, Rue Landau, Jeffrey Young, Kendra Brooks and Nicolas O’Rourke voted against the measures.

“I want to be clear that I’m undecided but I really object to the process,” said Gauthier.

“I too am deeply concerned about how quickly this process is going,” added Landau.

The comments echoed concerns raised by some arena opponents, who feel the project is being rushed through the legislative process to the detriment of the city, and particularly Chinatown, which sits feet from the proposed site at 10th and Market streets.

The Save Chinatown Coalition sent a letter to Council Wednesday urging lawmakers to vote against the resolutions.

“With so little opportunity for communities to engage in this process, Council must postpone passage of these resolutions until after the public hearings on the actual project. If even that reasonable request cannot be made, we respectfully ask Councilmembers to vote no and to call for a responsible public engagement process,” reads part of the letter.

During Thursday’s meeting, about a dozen people testified against the project, including Debbie Wei, the longtime activist who was dragged out of Council last week by sheriff’s deputies as opponents chanted against the arena.

She urged Council to delay voting on the resolutions but also pleaded for a more civil public process, saying she was asked by security Thursday if she would “behave.”

“I have never been this disrespected and I have protested in these chambers for decades. As personally hurt as I am by what happened, I feel like this is the way that Chinatown and communities all across the city have been treated — literally thrown out of there while you roll out the read carpet and rush a process you don’t understand for a bunch of billionaires who will never live here,” said Wei, visibly upset.

Real estate developer Jeremy Blatstein testified in favor of the resolution. He said the arena would be a “catalyst” for improving Market East, a disjointed stretch of retail, government buildings and tourist attractions that has struggled to thrive for decades.

A Sixers spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose district includes the proposed site, introduced a legislative package last week that contains the approvals the team needs to start construction on the arena. He also introduced two other related bills.

All of them must pass the full council for the project to move forward.

The first hearing on the bills is scheduled for Nov. 12.

The Sixers have said they need authorization from Council by the end of the year in order to stay on track with the development. The team wants to open the arena in 2031, the same year its lease expires at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia.