Fans are finally getting a preview of what the new arena planned for the South Philadelphia Sports Complex will look like.
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The venue set to house the NBA’s 76ers, the NHL’s Flyers and a new, still-unnamed Philly WNBA team is scheduled to open in 2030.
The plans from design firm Populous and architects at Moody Nolan include three stacked cantilevered bands. The architects took inspiration from the design of the Spectrum, which housed the Sixers and Flyers on the same site between 1967 and 1996.
The plan also includes a series of wide pedestrian plazas where spectators will be able to gather before and after events.
Comcast owns the naming rights for the arena, which will get its moniker at a later date.
The project is replacing the Xfinity Mobile Arena, which had a $400M renovation completed in 2024. The new arena will be completely privately funded, as public contributions to stadium construction have become increasingly politically charged nationwide in recent years.
Comcast and the 76ers’ parent company, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, were at odds for several years over the NBA team’s quest to build a new arena on 10th and Filbert streets in Center City.
HBSE got the Philadelphia City Council's blessing for the plan in December 2024 despite intense community pushback. Weeks later, it ditched that plan and pivoted to build the new venue in South Philly along with Flyers owner Comcast.
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While construction on the new arena is set to commence next year, the plan still needs legislative and regulatory approval from city officials.
Press releases sharing the renderings mention Council President Kenyatta Johnson several times. He represents this section of South Philly, and the city’s councilmanic prerogative tradition gives him the power to veto any project in his district.
The city government’s main social media accounts shared the renderings with a positive message Tuesday.
“Get excited Philly fans!” one of the posts says.
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