New Sixers Arena Approved
by Alex Lloyd Gross
ALEX LLOYD GROSS FILE PHOTO- Delaware Valley News.com The Wells Fargo Center will not be used for Sixers games when the new arena is built.
City Council approved a new Sixers arena, called 76ers Place is be built where the Fashion District Mall is. Many feel the arena was rammed through council, who were going to approve this in spite of huge opposition. Mayor Cherelle Parker held multiple hearings where she heard both pro can con. She decided to allow it to be built in one of the most congested areas of the city.
Chinatown was one of the sites considered for a new Phillies ballpark back in the late 1990’s to early 2000’s. The Sixers will play at the Wells Fargo arena until this new arena is built. That should happen around 2032. Maybe before.
The Wells Fargo Center is not going anywhere, as it is now the home to the Flyers, Wings as well as multiple concerts and special events throughout the year.
The consensus is few people will venture outside of the arena to Chinatown to spend money. Parking is going to be at a premium and traffic will be outrageous. Assume the Sixers game will sell out. There is a virtual army of people that have to work at the arena. They need parking. From management to maintenance, to season ticket brokers, it is doubtful these people will take public transportation.
Day of the game will see an uptick of about 1500 workers, including porters, ticket takers, security, guest services. Few of these folks will be taking the train. Then there is the media. No media rep is going to lug $15,000 worth of gear on a train. They need parking.
Then come the fans. People that attend events want to get in and get out, fast. STOP EVERYTHING. AN AMBULANCE MUST NOW GET THROUGH TRAFFIC TO GET TO JEFFERSON HOSPITAL WITH A CARDIAC PATIENT. Jefferson is the ONLY trauma center in that area. If everyone is coming to or leaving the Sixers game, the ambulance could be delayed.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo Mayor Cherelle Parker pushed the arena project through .
Most of the jobs at this arena will be part time, with wages around $9.00-$14.00hr. After all, there is no need for ticket takers when there is no game. Which leads us to another question. Will other events like concerts or shows be booked there, or will it be exclusive to basketball?
Safety can be addressed by the Sixers when they pay for additional police to patrol trains and train stations.