Economic Effects of New Sixers Stadium

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    Currently the Philadelphia Seventy Sixers are aiming to plop a new stadium right in the heart of central city. This is a stark contrast to the previous situation of Philadelphia sports stadiums all being far from the bustling streets of the city, so understandably they have seen some serious opposition. 

    A specific community that will be greatly affected by this stadium placement is Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Along with many other neighborhoods in close proximity, they are concerned that the stadium would cause rents for homes and businesses to rise, which would drive locals out of the area. These concerns are quite justified, as although the new stadium would bring spending and consumers to the area, costs would be driven up disproportionally. 

    Facing an economic decline that followed the Covid-19 pandemic, many other Philadelphians are supportive of the plan, as it will be sure to usher in economic growth that will benefit the whole city. 

    This predicament perfectly represents the biggest challenge in public economics and policy. The challenge in economic policymaking is centering the needs of the most marginalized before the making a major economic decision. The Sixers have already begun to compromise with the city by incorporating things like affordable housing units into the stadium. However, I do not think that will be enough to win over the support of local citizens.

    A large problem that planners and consultants working for the Sixers are overlooking is the issue of traffic and congestion that will be drawn to local neighborhoods. The Sixers have previously deflected this issue by saying that stadium attendees can simply use existing parking garages or utilize uber/lyft services; however, I think that a necessary part of this ongoing compromise would be parking additions incorporated into the stadium framework. Without a proper plan in place to sort cars and traffic, many are worried that the congestion will ruin towns like Chinatown, and people will begin to avoid the neighborhood altogether. Another possible solution to mitigate traffic, that happens to be somewhat of a contrast, would be to, on game days/nights, shut off roads or strictly limit the parking surrounding the stadium to force attendees to park at another location in the city and walk, or utilize public transit. Foot traffic will have an opposite effect on the surrounding community because it will draw in more customers for local businesses and decrease noise pollution.

    I am not sure that the Sixers will ever pull off this stadium on Market Street. Both sides might eventually conclude that a different location is in the best interest of everyone. At the end of the day, this is just another routine example of how essential it is for planners and policy makers to account and adapt to the needs of the people. It is hard to point to one clear solution, and that is how we end up at such complex solutions, but the key to finding a solution to this particular situation and others alike is to simply reach out to and listen to the voices of those who will ultimately be affected by the situation. 




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