City Council pushed back a key vote on the 76ers' proposed arena until 4 p.m. Wednesday, buying more time to negotiate with the team about the terms of a community benefits agreement that has become a sticking point for advancing the project.
The committee of the whole convened briefly Wednesday morning before Council President Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd District) recessed the meeting until the afternoon. A vote would include any amendments to the arena legislation, including updates to the CBA. The team had proposed a $50 million CBA, but council members and community advocates opposed to the arena have pushed to see that number significantly increased.
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At least nine City Council members must vote in favor of the arena legislation to move it out of committee before a final vote. Council's rules require the legislation must get a first reading at least one week before the final vote takes place. Another meeting would be needed Thursday for the first reading so council can make a final vote on Thursday, Dec. 19.
The committee vote was supposed to occur last Thursday, but it was delayed to allow for further negotiations. At the time, Johnson said the legislation did not have enough support from council members to be passed out of committee.
The Sixers have claimed the project needs to be approved before the end of the year to stay on track with a development timeline to open the arena open in 2031, when the team's lease at the Wells Fargo Center expires. The $1.3 billion project aims to replace a portion of the Fashion District mall on East Market Street, just south of Chinatown between 10th and 11th streets.
Earlier this week, the No Arena in Chinatown Coalition wrote a letter calling the Sixers' deadline "completely arbitrary" and urged the city to wait until next year to move forward with the project. The coalition has argued the CBA should be raised to $300 million to cover community programs that would support Chinatown businesses negatively impacted by the arena and preserve long-term affordability in the neighborhood, among other priorities.
At least week's hearings, 76ers representatives indicated they may be willing to increase funding for the CBA. The team said a $300 million plan would make the arena "economically non-viable," but did not provide a range that would be feasible. City Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose 1st District covers the arena site, said lawmakers had an undisclosed number in mind.
City Council has held eight days of hearings on the proposal, receiving testimony from stakeholders, supporters and foes of the arena. In addition to debate about the CBA, the hearings focused heavily on the financial and operational demands the arena would place on SEPTA as it faces a long-term funding crisis.
Mayor Cherelle Parker, whose administration endorsed the arena in September, planned Wednesday to hold another community meeting about the project at 5:30 p.m. at McCall Elementary and Middle School in Washington Square West. Parker has touted the project as a vital investment in East Market Street's slumping commercial corridor and a pipeline for jobs in Center City.