Philadelphia: Billionaires’ mayor okays arena

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker came out strongly in support of billionaire developers on Sept. 18 when she announced that she will present a legislative package to the City Council for approval of a controversial plan by the 76ers basketball team to build an arena in Center City. The pre-recorded announcement, released to select media in a closed-door session, was strongly denounced by protesters with the Save Chinatown Coalition who were gathered outside City Hall.

For over two years, thousands of demonstrators have protested the arena they say will do irreparable harm to the city’s historic 150-plus year-old Chinatown.

The 76ers billionaire owners have proposed moving the team from their current facility in South Philadelphia to a new $1.55 billion arena they call “76 Place” that would encroach on blocks of Philadelphia’s Chinatown.

One impact study commissioned by the city cited harm to Chinatown with half of the neighborhood’s small businesses losing out economically if the arena is built. The study said only one out of five small businesses is positioned to benefit from a project that would only be open 150 days of the year.

Another community impact study concluded the arena “could potentially result in the loss of Chinatown’s core identity and regional significance.” The city released four studies about the potential arena’s impact in late August.

Opponents of the arena have voiced concerns over increased traffic congestion that could also hinder access to nearby hospital facilities. They cited a likely increase in gentrification and displacement that would drive up the cost of living in Chinatown and other nearby communities, including Washington Square West and Philadelphia’s Gayborhood.

Speaking at the Sept. 18 rally, Katie Garth, a cofounder of No Arena Washington Square West, called the proposal a “land grab by billionaires.”

While the mayor and the 76ers’ owners boast that the project would “create jobs,” opponents point out that the construction workers required to build the arena could be employed to build it or another project anywhere else in the city. The jobs available once an arena opens would tend to be part-time, low wage jobs.

Hundreds of concession-stand workers currently employed by Aramark at Philadelphia’s three major sports facilities who are demanding higher wages and benefits, began striking on Sept. 23 when the company refused to meet their demands.

The Save Chinatown Coalition, composed of over 245 organizations, small businesses, community organizations and faith congregations and hundreds of individuals has been outspoken about their opposition. They have staged countless demonstrations, including one on Sept. 7, when 4,000 people filled the streets of Center City.

Mayor disrespects Chinatown residents

Historically, residents of the area already dealt with construction of a major expressway that cut the community in two; expansion of a Center City shopping mall; construction and expansion of the convention center; and placement of a federal prison in their community.

They successfully fought plans for a Phillies baseball stadium in 2000 and two casinos in 2008. “We sure as hell are going to fight this out, to stop this arena that’s going to threaten not just Chinatown but the heart of our city,” said Mohan Seshadri, executive director of the Asian Pacific Islanders Political Alliance at the Sept. 18 rally.

In her video, Parker falsely claimed that she “has listened to” the people of Chinatown. But a member of Students Against the Sixers Arena, Faye Liu, told the rally: “The Save Chinatown Coalition has invited Parker on multiple occasions to meet with us and visit this special community. We asked in September 2023, January 2024, February 2024 and March 2024, and in every instance, the request was declined or ignored. We are asking the mayor again, before you decide whether our community lives or dies, will you come on a tour of Chinatown with us? Will you look our neighbors in the eye?”

Longtime Chinatown community member Debbie Wei told those gathered for the rally: “Mayor Parker still hasn’t met with Chinatown after all this time yet feels she can have a stance on whether our community should live or die. This was never about one person, and this fight is far from over. We are going to fight this, and we are going to the mat. It’s on.”

Rally participants responded to Wei with loud chants of “Mayor Parker, shame on you!”