Community Groups Propose Temple Build Football Stadium In Rittenhouse Square
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Groups opposed to the North Philadelphia location that Temple University has earmarked for its new football stadium have some suggestions for where it could go instead.
The No Deal Coalition, a group of 19 organizations that oppose Temple putting the stadium on North Broad Street, announced Sunday that it wants the university to instead build it in Center City. More specifically, in Rittenhouse Square.
"If it doesn't sound reasonable, favorable, if it sounds ridiculous to build a stadium right there in Rittenhouse Square, think of how unfavorable, unreasonable and ridiculous it sounds to erect a stadium at Broad an Norris Streets, encroaching on a residential community," said Minister Rodney Muhammad, president of the NAACP in Philadelphia.
The NAACP is part of the No Deal Coalition, which is against the $125 million project in its current form.
"They want to put a 35,000 seat stadium in a North Philadelphia neighborhood," Muhammad said. "The neighborhood overwhelmingly is against that."
Muhammad says putting the stadium in Rittenhouse Square is not as far out an idea as some may think.
"Temple has a Center City presence right there on Market Street," he said. "They're only two blocks away. This space could be made available. The economic impact so far that we see would be favorable."
Muhammad says they've sent the proposal to officials at Temple University and to Philadelphia City Council.