Mayor Parker, City and Sports Leaders Celebrate Decision for New Sports Complex Arena

Representatives from Harris-Blitzer Sports Entertainment (HBSE) and Comcast joined Mayor Cherelle Parker to announce a joint venture between HBSE and Comcast on a new stadium in the sports complex for both the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers, along with a joint venture to revitalize the Market East section of Philadelphia.

The news comes after reports surfaced on Sunday that the HBSE was abandoning plans to build the originally planned 76 Place at Market East, a plan that resulted in a two and a half year battle that ended with the passage of legislation by City Council in December 2024.

“It ensures that Philadelphia will benefit from two developments instead of one,” said Josh Harris, cofounder of HBSE. “Both of our organizations love this city. Together, we can do incredible things.

Throughout the press conference today at City Hall, Parker and other officials acknowledged the sudden about-face that triggered this, but there was no straightforward explanation offered for it. Harris, however, suggested that it wasn’t until the NBA got involved that the Sixers revisited the conversations.

“[NBA Commissioner] Adam Silver said ‘look, you guys are fighting, let’s try to come together,’” Harris mentioned. “We felt we could build a better arena, we could also revitalize Market East. We felt that it was a one plus one equals three situation and so we pivoted. It was a little more complicated for all of us.”

“I can’t think about what’s behind me,” Mayor Parker said in response to a question regarding the change of heart regarding the arena proposal. “This is what I can tell you about looking forward.”

“It seems confusing that one day we’re celebrating City Council approving legislation for the Market East arena and a month later we’re here celebrating the new arena to keep the Sixers in the sports complex,” said David Adelman of HBSE. “Though plans have changed, the one thing that has not changed is our commitment to do something good for the Sixers, our fans, and most importantly, our city.”

Harris did note that the conversations were revisited in early December, with the Mayor looped in “as soon as we could.”

Parker was clear that there was a formal agreement between the two organizations to engage in this plan, which Parker hopes would prevent a further about-face.

“The partners who are here, they have formally formed these partnerships,” Parker said. “We’re going to be able to get this done, but this is extremely important, we have to start the planning process.”

Under the new plan, both teams will have equal stake in the new arena to be built in the sports complex, which will be built by 2031.

“We’re super excited to work together,” shared Brian Roberts, Chairman and CEO of Comcast. “Both teams will have equal stake. We’ll work together to envision the work the Sixers have already done.”

The plan calls for an investment in the sports complex, an idea already floated by Dan Hilferty, Chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor. Throughout the press conference, there were allusions to the Eagles joining in the revitalization efforts in the sports complex that Mayor Parker compared to the Battery Entertainment District in Atlanta, though no formal announcement was made in that regard. Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie’s last comments on the Eagles joining the plan were noncommittal. An Eagles Public Relations staff member contacted by email did not immediately return the contact.

The Eagles would be the last major sports team in the sports complex not participating in the revitalization as the Phillies announced participation last year. Phillies Managing Partner John Middleton was on hand in support of the new announcement but did not address media.

The revised plan still calls for a substantial investment in the Market East section of Philadelphia along with the new stadium. Parker was clear that they would be starting from scratch regarding that agreement, so plans were not clear, but seemed to suggest that the investment would be larger than the originally promised $60 million by HBSE.

“This is Philadelphia, we were talking about one team and one arena on Market Street,” Parker said. “We’re talking about four teams, this is a whole different ball game.”

Roberts acknowledged that HBSE raised legitimate concerns about the Market East section throughout the process.

“I was recently at an opening in the Market East area of a new hospital,” Roberts said. “The area needs a vibrancy. The Sixers have been right about that, and David and Josh and David Blitzer recognized that, and they care about Philadelphia.”

As part of a plan, Comcast Spectacor will take a minority stake in HBSE. The plan also calls for a partnership between Comcast Spectacor and HBSE to partner on bringing a WNBA team to Philadelphia.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, present via Zoom, acknowledged the new partnership and Mayor Parker’s leadership throughout the process.

“In addition to ensuring that the 76ers continue to play in a world-class arena in Philadelphia, [Parker] expressed a strong desire to bring a WNBA team to Philly,” Silver said, while also acknowledging that Parker’s objectives included ensuring economic benefit to the city far greater than basketball and hockey games. “I believe that today’s news hits on all of those objectives.”

“This new collaboration will bring immediate benefits to the city,” Silver continued, noting that the 76ers and Comcast are now partners in Wells Fargo Center.

Parker was insistent that this was a unified bid and fell in line with her “One City” mantra that has been present since her first day as mayor.

“The revitalization of our historic East Market [sic] commercial quarter is essential,” Parker said, “the building of a new state of the art arena for the Sixers is essential, and also the potential for that WNBA team, it is essential.