As City Council returns, Sixers say 30,000 people have signed petitions supporting a downtown arena

The Sixers say they gathered more than 30,000 signatures on petitions supporting their plan to build a $1.55 billion arena in Center City.

The total includes about 26,000 names representing 55 zip codes in Philadelphia and 4,000 from commuters who work in the city. They were collected between Labor Day and mid-December.

The team announced the results on Thursday morning as City Council, called upon to consider enabling legislation for the project, met for its first regular session of 2024. Opponents in Chinatown, which abuts the site of the proposed arena, had a morning news conference focused on public tax subsidies at City Hall.

Sixers co-owner and lead developer David Adelman said in a statement that despite the development team’s “best efforts to make information available on the project, there continues to exist misinformation” and that “canvassing allows our team to meet people where they are to provide facts and answer questions.”

Signatures were collected online and in person, the bulk coming from face-to-face interactions during canvassing at homes and public places, which included transit centers, the team said.

The petitions stated: “Stand with and support the 76ers in the development of the 76 Place arena project in its efforts to develop equitably and responsibly to benefit the surrounding neighborhoods and communities across Philadelphia. We believe in its potential to revitalize Market East and create opportunity for Philadelphia. Sign on now.”

The Sixers intend to build on the footprint from 10th to 11th and Market to Filbert Streets, claiming one-third of the Fashion District mall and the empty Greyhound bus station.

The team says that the arena will generate jobs and spending on a part of Market Street East that’s marred by closed businesses and that building atop SEPTA’s Jefferson Station would benefit the region by encouraging fans to take public transportation to games and events. The Sixers promise that the arena will be privately financed and say that although they’re open to state and federal funding, no city dollars will be sought.

In his statement, Adelman called the arena “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help revitalize the heart of our city and give the Philadelphia 76ers and their fans the arena they deserve — at no cost to city taxpayers. We are glad to see that tens of thousands of Philadelphians see our vision as a slam dunk.”