Wells Fargo Center Preparing For Possibility Of Fans Returning For Sixers, Flyers Games
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Wells Fargo Center is preparing for the possibility of fans returning to the arena. They will find major upgrades to keep everyone safe during the pandemic.
The Sixers, Flyers and Phillies have sent proposals to the city requesting fans to return.
Combine that with an expected announcement from Philadelphia's Health Department Friday on rolling back limitations within the city, and hope flickers for a return to your seats.
"Probably not as many as people would like to have, but it's up to the state and it's up to how quickly we can get the vaccine rollout," Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said.
However, a source familiar with the planning process at Wells Fargo Center cautions that's only half the solution.
Any rollback from the city would also have to happen at the state level before a return is possible.
Once that happens, the same source tells CBS3, the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers and Flyers themselves, will determine and announce an official number they will allow inside the stadium, that will not exceed the state's limitation.
"We're going to come back as a team, as an industry, as a city, as a country and we're going our part to take those steps," said Phil Laws, general manager of the Wells Fargo Center, in early February.
Among the many safety upgrades fans will find is an $11 million HVAC system.
"All the air in this bowl, we can replace with fresh outside air in under 30 minutes. It's absolute the top of its class in the arena industry," Laws said.
With a return, roughly 400 part-time employees can come back to work for every Sixers and Flyers home game.
The Phillies chose not to comment yet until there's an official state and local announcement.