Chinatown community members to discuss 76ers arena tonight
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The fight against the newly proposed Sixers arena will continue this evening in Chinatown. A town hall meeting for its residents will be held at Crane Chinatown Community Center at 7 p.m.
It is a part of a series of meetings hosted by the Chinatown Steering Committee where groups can comment and voice their concerns about the project.
The committee represents 50 organizations and 120 businesses in Chinatown that believe the arena would put the neighborhood at risk.
The proposed arena, called 76 Place, would be built in a section of the Fashion District Mall from 10th to 11th Streets on Market Street - on the edge of Chinatown's businesses and homes.
Last Monday, business owners, faith leaders, and community members walked through their streets to show how closely the proposed arena could encroach on their community.
Many in the neighborhood are concerned about how parking, traffic and overdevelopment will affect the community's culture and everyday life.
The community opposition continues to grow with the newly formed "Chinatown Coalition to Oppose the Arena" representing community and business leaders.
Despite the mounting opposition, 76 Place arena developers are hopeful the project will bring economic growth and create jobs not only in Chinatown, but across Philadelphia.
The next town hall meeting will also be at the Crane Chinatown Community Center on Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. for those who frequent the neighborhood.