Philadelphia City Council Committee Voted to Advance Several Bills Enabling The Sixers to Build Their New Arena In Chinatown

A new update on the hot button issue of the proposed Sixers arena in Chinatown happened this morning.  A Philadelphia City Council committee voted to advance several bills concerning the 76ers’ proposed arena, 76 Place.

According to 6abc, “The vote came as council members got an earful from a large crowd of protesters. A first reading of the bills before the full council could come later Thursday.”

The vote was delayed several times by Council while they worked to determine just how much the Sixers would pay the city in the Community Benefits Agreement, or CBA. When negotiations first started, The Sixers were willing to pay $50 million towards line items such as   security, public transportation, education and businesses. However, that figure doubled to $100 million. 6BC reports that “Those who oppose the arena say they believe the amount should be at least $300 million. The Sixers are hoping a deal is approved by the end of the year to stick to their timeline of opening by 2031.”