Opinion | I’m pissed off about the new Sixers arena — and so are most Philadelphians

On Sept. 18, the mayor of Philadelphia, Cherelle Parker, approved the new 76ers arena proposal. I, amongst many other Philadelphians, am outraged by this — I think most of us find this worse than having the new arena in New Jersey. 

One thing that really stood out to me when Parker approved the proposal was when she said “I wholeheartedly believe this is the right deal for the people of Philadelphia. To the people of Chinatown, please know that I hear you.” This is not true at all. 

On Sept. 7, there was a march against the arena proposal in Chinatown. Then, just two weeks later, Parker approved the proposal. She is not listening to the people of Chinatown at all, nor does she care about anyone in or around that neighborhood. It is unfortunate because the people of Philadelphia earnestly care about the wellbeing of those living in these neighborhoods. 

In reality, building this arena in this part of the city is a no-go. Not only is local traffic going to get worse, but many of Chinatown’s beloved small businesses could be lost due to construction. This could gentrify the neighborhood and possibly increase rent for many businesses in the area. 

Recently retired Eagles player Jason Kelce also spoke out against the new arena proposal. He thinks that forcing the arena into the heart of the city is not doing us any good, and I completely agree with Kelce on this point. He cares about the city, and the points he’s making show people how even celebrities feel about the situation  — and the overwhelming consensus is that they feel pretty negatively about it.

The new location is also near Reading Terminal Market and the Fashion District, which is already a super busy part of the city. Not only do a ton of people from Philly go there, but a bunch of tourists go there as well. Between the travel of tourists and locals, having the stadium in that area could cause the area to be a lot busier than usual. This part of the city is super special, and I wouldn’t want anything to get ruined.

The construction is also estimated to cost a lot of money. I get the idea of wanting a separate arena for the 76ers, but keep it in South Philly. An extra special thing about Philly sports is the fact that the football stadium, baseball stadium and the hockey/basketball arena are all together. Why ruin a good thing? 

Overall, the new 76ers arena needs to stay out of Center City. Keep the arena away from Chinatown, and keep it in South Philly. 

Have opinions on the 76ers arena proposal? You can email Irene at inm24@pitt.edu.