New Jersey leaders say they're still in the game for the Sixers Arena
Earlier this week Mayor Cherelle Parker announced she had reached an agreement with the Sixers to keep the team in the city of Philadelphia that would enable them to build a $1.5 billion arena in Center City.
It's been a controversial topic since the proposal was first introduced in 2022 and over the last two days since Parker's announcement, reaction continues to lean in opposition to the project.
Meanwhile, New Jersey leaders are committed to remaining a viable option should the Center City deal fall through. In a statement, Tim Sullivan, the CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority said:
"We have put forward a thoughtful and aggressive proposal that makes clear that Governor Murphy and leaders across the state would welcome the 76ers to Camden with open arms, and nothing announced today changes our view that the Sixers should seriously consider New Jersey for their next home. We play until the final buzzer sounds, and we look forward to continuing to make the case for Camden and the Garden State."
There's still a lot that must happen before they're bulldozing Market East. For starters, the necessary legislation needed to move forward with the project has not been presented yet.
Councilman Mark Squilla, whose district includes the area where the arena is proposed to be built, expects the package of bills to be posted online. From there, Squilla said he would allow the legislation to be available to the public for 30 days. This is not the typical process for the city council but Squilla wanted to ensure the public had enough time to voice their concerns and councilmembers could propose amendments. The mayor also promised to host town halls during this time.
With that timeline in mind, if Parker's administration released the legislation next week, the earliest Squilla would introduce the legislation to the council is Oct. 24. Then it gets assigned to a committee allowing for a public hearing and opening the door for more amendments. Squilla expects the Sixers arena legislation to get assigned to the Committee of the Whole, meaning all 17 councilmembers would weigh in and vote.
If the legislation moves out of committee, it will go to a full council vote. It needs nine votes to pass. The final step is Parker signing it into law.
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to all 17 council members to get their position on the arena. Most have not taken an official position yet. As of now, councilmembers Nicolas O'Rourke and Kendra Brooks are against building the arena in Center City. CBS News Philadelphia will continue to update this list.
