The Philadelphia 76ers are signaling the team is open to bulking up a community benefits agreement ahead of a city council vote on its East Market arena proposal that could come as soon as tomorrow.
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After three weeks of sometimes heated public hearings, Philadelphia City Council’s Committee of the Whole will convene at 8:30 a.m. Thursday ahead of its regularly scheduled meeting for what could be a preliminary vote on the project.
A majority of the council is expected to vote in favor of the proposal, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The Sixers want the project approved by the end of the month so construction can be completed before the start of the 2031 NBA season.
The $1.3B proposal has been deeply contentious. Though the arena enjoys widespread labor support, concerns about gentrification in Chinatown, increased traffic in Center City and SEPTA’s ability to handle the additional riders it could bring were top of mind for activists, who panned the proposal during the hearing process.
The $50M the Sixers set aside for a community benefits agreement has also been a sticking point. Lawmakers and anti-arena activists repeatedly urged the team to set aside more for the fund focused on citywide initiatives and construction mitigation efforts in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Sixers are now “considering adjustments” to the value of the CBA, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment Chief Corporate Affairs Officer David Gould said during a council meeting on Tuesday, WHYY reported.
The negotiations are still a “work in progress,” Council President Kenyatta Johnson said.
Council Member Mark Squilla, who represents the district that would include the proposed arena, wants to see at least another $10M allocated for the CBA.
“I think we need more than that if you see some of the requests from the community,” he told a group of reporters after Tuesday’s meeting, WHYY reported. “I don’t think we, as a body, would support anything less than that.”
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