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Let’s say ‘no’ to the Sixers arena plan, which threatens to gentrify Chinatown into extinction



Let’s say ‘no’ to the Sixers arena plan, which threatens to gentrify Chinatown into extinction

by upcan845

38 Comments

  1. IPA_lot_

    Probably written by someone who lives in a gentrified neighborhood

  2. AlbrechtSchoenheiser

    I love the Sixers Arena plan. I could take regional rail to a Sixers game without having to concern myself with traffic or parking.

  3. dotheyoweusaliving1

    I wish they’d just stay near the other complexes. They’re there for a reason.

  4. daddy_OwO

    I think WFC should be rebuilt and the sixers should offer a trade with the Flyers of getting partial ownership in return for helping or fully funding a new arena at the complex

  5. MaxeytoEmbiid

    Why in America, do we give a flying fuck about Chinatown? Is this how down bad we are? How dare we put an American investment on American soil, otherwise more Americans will move into the area?

    Enough of that. This is OUR country, and as long as business owners are paying proper taxes and their actions are within the law, they can invest in whatever area they damn well please.

  6. justabill71

    Where’s the petition to sign? I hate the arena plan.

  7. grapejuicepix

    Tin Foil Hat Time: the Sixers Owners have no intention of building in Chinatown. They’re betting on the same forces that stopped the Phillies from doing it 20 years ago will stop them now so when they build the arena in Camden they can say “we tried to build it in Philly”.

  8. cd-surfer

    Building it on CC is the better option. It will be more convenient and best of all it is not funded by the taxpayers.

  9. Head-Kiwi-9601

    Nonsense. It threatens to bring thousands of new customers to Chinatown.

  10. FourSparta

    Idk I would love to take the regional rail to center city, get some dinner from Chinatown, and then head into the arena for the game. I do that now, but instead of a train it’s a car, and instead of Chinatown it’s Little Saigon in South Philly.

  11. BrokenManOfSamarkand

    It’s not in Chinatown. No matter how many times you say it is, it still won’t be true.

  12. LAClipShow2020

    My only question is for people who oppose this plan… would you rather have a brand new arena that brings income to downtown that has sorely lacked commerce due to Covid & enhance the use of vital real estate (the fashion district) that has lost MILLIONS… or continue as is now with that area becoming more and more empty as companies start to leave the fashion district due to lack of foot traffic, criminal activity and juvenile shenanigans. Personally, I love the downtown idea & I think it can be done without harming Chinatown. While I love the Sports Complex, Comcast’s interests are only for the Flyers. Let the flyers have the building. I prefer a basketball only venue at this point. SN: this also helps us with future ASG aspirations and more NCAA Tournament possibilities.

  13. throwawayjoeyboots

    End the fear mongering. Build it.

  14. _the_universal_sigh_

    I live in Philly and I still hate this idea. Kind of kills me going to games with my dad by the time this happens too, since I’m probably not convincing my 70 year old dad in NJ to take the rail up to CC… I dunno.

    I’ve travelled to sports arenas and stadiums all over the country and man, we don’t realize how fortunate we are with our current setup. Everything is by everything. Easy in and easy out. Accessible to our entire market and not JUST Philadelphia residents. It’s beautiful. I love walking by CBP and the Linc to go to a Sixers game too. Especially when the seasons are overlapping and the entire area is buzzing!

  15. Odd_Calligrapher_407

    Have a listen to the album “Chavez Ravine” by Ry Cooder. It’s about Dodger Stadium and the Latino community it destroyed.

  16. ohokayiguess1

    Fundamentally, the idea that improving or making an area more attractive is gentrification is asinine.

  17. Jabroni_Guy

    We should definitely build it. Market east is a disaster. Imagine how many vehicle miles traveled we could save by putting this thing a one seat ride away from pretty much every mode of transit in the region. One seat ride on MFL, Regional Rail, trollies, and PATCO and the walk from City Hall to 11th isn’t any further than the walk from NRG station to WFC. It’s a no brainer to build it.

  18. LuckyCulture7

    I am not a fan of speculation being treated as certainty.

  19. babywithahugedick

    Let’s not – the Fashion District (where the stadium would actually be located) is an absolute failure. Why don’t these people arguing against the stadium have a problem with the current state of the area?

  20. DrToboggan76

    This is the weirdest hill to die on. Of all the things to get upset about, let’s get all up in arms about a privately funded project to replace the failed Fashion District and revitalize a struggling portion of Market

  21. kartoon10

    The proposed arena is, factually, not in Chinatown. Rather, it would be built in a historically-economically-challenged area of center city (the odd space between city hall and old city, north of the gayborhood). How many times have you all walked down Market or Chesnut, from Broad St to about 7th street, and thought “man this area could be great, why are these businesses always failing, why the empty storefronts constantly, etc.” Isn’t a new arena better than the current and past alternatives?

  22. mrHartnabrig

    I’m all for a Sixers forum–it’s good for business.

    Center City belongs to no one group, nor should it ever.

  23. JCPRuckus

    I never downvote anything, but I’m downvoting this. NIMBYism is a social cancer (and the reason for the ever growing national housing crisis), and being anti-“gentrification” is the stupidest possible type of NIMBYism.

  24. LordLucasSixers

    Build the arena anywhere that’s not Camden! I’m against it in CC but I prefer that over Camden. When the Sixers suck again, who the hell going to Camden to watch a game? Lol anyway I think they should build it on Delaware ave and spring garden on that big ass lot that’s next to the water.

  25. Shadowasders23

    Black ppl get gentrified out of west Philly: I sleep

    Stadium intruding half a block into Chinatown: real shit??

  26. NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

    Do you want no 76ers in Philadelphia? This is how you get no 76ers in Philadelphia.

    I’d rather say no to NIMBYS who ruin every attempt at progress in the city.

  27. eagles1990

    Fuck out of here. This shit happens in black neighborhoods (North and West Philly) all the damn time and these people don’t ever say a damn word about it. Why should I give a fuck about how you feel about a stadium that wouldn’t even be in Chinatown?

  28. WhereDaHinkieFlair

    Call me old fashioned, but I think the Sixers and Flyers should share a stadium. Let them split the bill/ownership and build a new one near the sports complex. But having two stadiums for both teams just seems stupid/wasteful. Idgaf what makes Josh Harris the most money, 4 stadiums for 4 teams is dumb.

  29. smiertspionam15

    The arena is not planned for Chinatown, let’s move on

  30. NYJets18

    It’s not in Chinatown. Is there supposed to never be development in an area that is basically directly in the center of the city?

  31. There are 2 big issues. First, market is 4 lanes, 2 each way. MSG is 6 lanes one way. Traffic is going to be insane with drop offs and pickups

    Second, market will act as a divider between north and south and it’ll be impossible to get an ambulance to the ER if it’s north of market during an event

  32. chin1111

    I read as many comments before typing this, and I was too busy today to respond early, so I doubt anyone will see this. But I think I see the both sides. On the one hand, Chinatown residents are worried that the stadium will bring more people to the area but those people will bypass Chinatown, expect more mainstream shopping/eating options and eventually, they will all be bought out and replaced with chain restaurants and boutique stores and the like.

    On the other hand, there is an argument that the stadium will increase foot traffic to Chinatown, funnel more customers to their businesses and the wealth of the community will grow with the livelihood of a center city stadium.

    Why not directly collaborate between the developers and the neighborhood? They say in the article that no representatives from the developers reached out to citizens of Chinatown. And I already know what many are going to say: “WhY sHoUlD tHeY hAvE tO cAtEr To ThEm?”

    If we want to create a more enlightened society (which I know quite a few people could give a rat’s ass about, but I do), communities have to work together. The Sixers have the whole “support black businesses” campaign going, so how hard would it be to have another synergistic relationship between the developers and Chinatown? There is common ground to cross, both sides giving concessions to reach a resolution.

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