Advocates, opponents of Philadelphia 76ers proposed arena turn to city council after Cherelle Parker backs plan

It's not a done deal, but the Philadelphia 76ers' plan to build a new arena on Market Street took a big step forward Wednesday as Mayor Cherelle Parker announced she would back the plan. Parker's support, posted in a social media video, drew all sorts of reactions from Philadelphians.

"I wasn't surprised," Debbie Wei, with the Save Chinatown Coalition, said on Thursday.

"I couldn't be more proud," IBEW Local 98 Business Manager Mark Lynch said.

"Disgust," said Greg, who works in Center City.

In her post, Parker said "an agreement has been reached" to keep the 76ers in Philadelphia, amid open interest from neighboring New Jersey and Delaware . The mayor's statement came as she met behind closed doors with a handful of Chinatown leaders. Among them was John Chin, with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.

Did Parker give Chin any insight into what's in the deal?

"No, we prodded and we asked the mayor," Chin said. "She did tell us she negotiated a community benefits agreement, and that she will review that early next week."

Chin said he still has serious concerns about traffic impacts from a potential arena adjacent to the neighborhood and worries about residents being pushed out by gentrification.

While Chin said he and the others in the meeting expressed their concerns to the mayor, those with the Save Chinatown Coalition say they've been left out of the process. The group has been the most vocal critic of the arena since the team announced its plans two years ago. Debbie Mei said they still feel confident in their fight even after Parker's endorsement, pointing to the neighborhood previously fending off large-scale proposals like a casino and a new Phillies stadium.

"Whether it was John Street with the baseball stadium. Whether it was Mayor Nutter with the casino. They all backed it, they all said this is going through. And those things were not built," Mei said from the corner of 11th and Vine streets Thursday afternoon. "We're standing right here where the baseball stadium would've been. And this is a Chinatown building. We know what these fights are like, we've been through them many times."

Supporters of the arena, however, were thrilled to see Parker bless the project. Labor groups in the city, including the Philadelphia Building Trades and local IBEW have long backed the project, saying it will bring thousands of jobs. Mark Lynch, business manager for IBEW Local 98, believes a downtown arena can help revitalize Market East and even benefit Chinatown businesses.

"I just look at this, an organization like the 76ers really investing in that area of the city is just going to bring so much economic impact into it," Lynch said. "I believe that this is not a choice between an arena and Chinatown. It's a choice for investing in an area of the city that could directly benefit Chinatown. The stores, the restaurants, everything down there to really bring more people down to the city."

Parker's blessing does not seal the deal on 76 Place, which, if built, would span a portion of the Fashion District Mall from 10th to 11th streets and Market to Filbert streets. The plan still needs the approval of City Council. And people on both sides of this proposal that said that is now where their attention will be focused.

"Continue to sit-down and meet with City Council and explain to them not only how important this is to our membership, but to the future of the city," Lynch said.

"We really need to do a lot of talking to city council members. That's where our focus is now and a lot of our time and educating all the concerns we have," Chin said.

The 76ers did not make anyone available for comment on Parker's announcement on Thursday.

As we await the process to move forward in City Council, the next developments may come from Parker herself, who promised a formal presentation of the agreed-upon deal and to host town halls on the arena across the city.