Wells Fargo Center Ready To Have Sixers, Flyers Fans Return If Philadelphia Matches State's New Gathering Limits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Wells Fargo Center says it's ready to have Sixers and Flyers fans return if Philadelphia matches Pennsylvania's new gathering limits. Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday that the state is revising its maximum occupancy limits for both indoor and outdoor events.
It is now 15% maximum occupancy for indoor and 20% for outdoor.
According to CBS3's Dan Koob, that translates into roughly 3,000 people for Wells Fargo Center and 8,600 for Citizens Bank Park for Phillies games.
On Friday, Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said the city would match the state's previous limit of 500 people for indoor events, but added they would consider relaxing its limits further if the state does so. A health department spokesperson says the city is reviewing what they need to change to come in line with the state, but the goal is to be the same as the state after this change.
"We're ready to safely welcome fans back to Broad Street, and as soon as the city further eases its restrictions, we will have Flyers and 76ers fans in the building within days. We're speaking directly with city leaders this afternoon in our continuing effort to make that happen as soon as possible," said Valerie Camillo, president of business operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center. "We've invested millions of dollars in health and safety advancements, we've worked with public health experts, and we've learned the best practices of other arenas that have safely welcomed fans back already. We're ready to safely put hundreds of our part-time employees back to work and bring our fans back to Broad Street."
Once the city announces its plan, the Flyers and Sixers will release information on exactly how many fans will be able to initially attend games.
"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," Phil Laws, general manager of the Wells Fargo Center, said 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.
