When he announced the construction of the Sixers’ new hall, Tad Brown, the president of the franchise, spoke of a ” big day “ specifying that being in the city center was “the best thing for the city, for our fans and for our organization”.
Nine months later, the PA teaches us that this does not please everyone and especially not the inhabitants of Chinatown, a district close to the future setting of the Sixers.
Faced with the reluctance of residents, the city authorities announced “an independent and comprehensive assessment” on the construction of this room, supposed to welcome the Sixers in 2031.
The objective is to assess “building design, impact on community and urban planning, economic impact and on parking and traffic”. Mayor Jim Kenney adds that the project must “works for surrounding communities”which must be “involved and committed at every stage”.
Opponents of the project argue that such a hall in a city center does not bring “little or no benefits to cities while bringing benefits to their wealthy developers”, slips Neeta Patel, director of the Asian Americans United association. They are also worried about the disruption to come during the works, then traffic and parking problems and the increase in real estate prices which will then push residents to leave.
