Business owners discuss their concerns and share their opinions against the 76ers arena.

City Councilman Mark Squilla(center), representing the Chinatown District, and David Gould(right), Chief Diversity & Impact Officer representative for the 76ers, attended the town hall meeting to discuss the proposed arena stadium next to Chinatown. David Gould, in particular, was the subject of the community's displeasure and was often booed during the town hall meeting. Councilman Squilla promised that he would not introduce legislation unless it were reviewed by the Chinatown community first.

Press conference announcing the creation of a coalition against the proposed 76ers' arena development next to Chinatown in January 2023.

University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University students protested against the 76ers’ arena development proposal next to Philadelphia’s Chinatown and to preserve affordable housing in West Philadelphia. The student group, known as SPOC (Students for the Preservation of Chinatown) and the Coalition to Save the UC Townomes, protested during the UPenn Board of Trustees meeting at the Inn at Penn. Students attempted to enter the meeting but were soon removed. The students demanded that the 76ers’ arena developers David Adelman, David Blitzer, and Josh Harris be removed from their positions on UPenn’s Board of Trustees and that the university support Chinatown’s community views against the stadium. Additionally, SPOC demanded that David Adelman be removed from Drexel’s University Real Estate Advisory Board. Adelman is planning to redevelop Wets Philadelphia, which threatens the existence of UC Townhomes, one of the area's last remaining affordable housing complexes.

SPOC protests in front of the Inn at Penn, where the Upenn board of trustees was being held.

SPOC protestors.

October 24th, 2034, Debbie Wei, a well-known and highly-respected leader in Chinatown, was forcefully escorted out of Philadelphia's City Hall when protesting loudly, disrupting the introduction of bills to authorize the 76ers' plan to build the basketball stadium next to Chinatown.

Debbie Wei escorted out of City Hall.

Debbie Wei in defiance while being escorted out of City Hall.

After being physically forced out of City Hall, Councilwoman Kenyatta Johnson meets Debbie to console her. Johnson was one of the few councilpersons who publicly spoke and voted against the 76ers basketball stadium plan.

Philadelphia's City Council held hearings on the proposed construction of the 76ers basketball stadium next to Chinatown. Most participants were against the stadium's construction and were only given two minutes to share their testimonies.

December 11, 2024, during a community town hall at McCall Elementary School in Philadelphia, local resident Kate Korson raised urgent concerns regarding the proposed construction of the 76ers basketball stadium adjacent to Chinatown. Drawing from her experience working with the San Diego Chargers during their transition to Los Angeles (now the LA Chargers), Korson boldly called on Mayor Cherelle Parker to accept full accountability for any repercussions from this development. She emphasized that building the stadium could jeopardize the integrity of Philadelphia's cherished Chinatown, threatening to undermine a historic community that deserves preservation and respect.

December 19th, 2024, protestors gather at the City Council Hall floor, delaying voting for the development of the 76ers stadium adjacent to Chinatown.

Protestor arrested for occupying the floor of City Hall Chanbers, delaying the vote for the 76ers stadium.

Cinthya Hioe (left) and Peri Law (right) protested inside PHiladelphia's City Hall Chambers during the City Council vote to allow the development of the 76ers stadium.

Cinthya Hioe being consolled after Philadelphia's City Council voted to approve the building of the 76ers basketball stadium adjacent to Chinatown

January 13, 2025 Community groups from the No Arena Coalition held a press conference before the Friendship Arch in Philadelphia's Chinatown. The day before, the 76ers decided to build their basketball arena in South Philadelphia rather than next to Chinatown.

Yvonne Lung celebrates the news of the 76ers deciding to build the new basketball stadium in South Philadelphia rather than next to Chinatown.