Without revealing her stance, mayor hears from supporters and opponents of proposed 76ers arena at crowded town hall

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Crowds of people showed up for Mayor Cherelle Parker ’s town hall Wednesday evening to voice their support and opposition to the proposed Sixers arena in Chinatown . While the mayor has not announced her position on the arena proposal, Parker said she wanted to hear directly from the community.

Unlike past public meetings about 76 Place , there were no major fireworks or interruptions from the hundreds of people in the main audience as others took the mic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Parker made the rules clear from the start: “This meeting will be done decently and in order.” She said it’s important that all stakeholders and those impacted have the opportunity to have their voices heard.

Organizers had to open up overflow rooms at the Convention Center because attendance spilled out onto 13th Street and down the block. The first half of speakers were largely against the proposed arena.

“For over 50 years, we have defended our neighborhood’s right to exist. We fought against the highway, Convention Center, stadium, casino, and now arena,” said one Chinatown advocate.

Developers want to build the arena at Market East, bordering Chinatown. Opponents share common fears — the impact on small businesses, traffic. Some said they’re not opposed to the arena, just the location.

Jenny Zhang, who lives in the neighborhood, called on Parker to say “no” to the arena.

“The community impact study was clear,” she said. “This arena will annihilate, destroy our community. That should be enough.”

The impact studies , released by a third-party group last month, found that the arena would bring a major new revenue source to the city but at the expense of one of its most storied communities.

Meanwhile, union workers came out in numbers to support the project.

“Not only will it generate a stronger city, but it’ll generate also jobs for our city,” said Elaine McGuire with IBEW Local 98. “It’ll generate jobs for our union workers, brothers and sisters, and it’ll also generate jobs for those that would be working at 76 Place.”

Union members also said the project would create a thriving Center City, improving Market East’s current state.

“We cannot lie to ourselves. If you go to East Market, it is desolate and it is dangerous,” said Ryan Boyer, business manager of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council.

If the Sixers intend to stick to their pitched construction timeline, legislation would need to be introduced into City Council in the next few weeks.