Philadelphia 76ers to scrap plans for a downtown arena

The Philadelphia 76ers have decided to scrap plans for a $1.3 billion downtown arena, a controversial project approved by city council just weeks ago.

The decision followed years of debate, with Chinatown residents opposing the arena due to concerns over gentrification and traffic. The team will remain at the Wells Fargo Center under a new deal with Comcast Spectacor, the arena’s owner.

Mayor Cherelle Parker, a supporter of the project, called the arena a “historic game-changer” for the Market East area, but further details of the revised plan remain unknown. Some council members, who backed the original project, expressed frustration, accusing the team of using them as “pawns.”