Stadium in Chinatown, Correlated with 1 Billion Dollar Loss in Tax Revenue

   The No Arena in Chinatown Solidarity published their recent newsletter, highlighting alarming new data concerning the construction of the 76ers arena. Though many are against the construction of the new 76ers arena, a data analysis by Associate Professor and Chair Department of Real Estate at the University of Washington, Dr. Arthur Acolin, showed that the new arena could affect the city by causing a loss of $1 billion in tax revenue. This loss may create a significant budget gap in the already limited funding Philadelphia has.  

         With this new information, Philadelphia city members should advocate against the construction of the new stadium, if they are pro sufficient budgeting towards schools, streets, and publicly funded community centers. Philadelphia has already been deemed one of the poorest cities in the US. This stadium would further this issue, making life harder for those reliant on public services. We cannot stand by and let large corporations affect these issues within our city. Take a stand, use your voice, and advocate for the stadium’s construction to be ceased! Not only will this stadium affect the Chinatown and Asian American communities, but it will severely hurt the city at large. More announcements by the NACS include:

        A Poetry Contest!: One way to fight back is to use your voice through poetry. The Moonstone Art Center is holding a poetry competition for writers all over the Philadelphia area. It is sponsored by the Save Chinatown Coalition, and the deadline is March 3, 2024. Applications can be accessed here. 

        City Council Watch: The No Arena in Chinatown Solidarity hosts watches every Thursday, including this February 29th, from 9:30 am – 12 pm, outside of City Hall, on the Northeast corner of 1400 JFK. Individuals are encouraged to wear No Arena garments, to provide pressure for city officials to make the right decision. Link to RSVP is here, however, anyone is welcomed regardless. 

          NACS also advocates we:

         Call our city councilperson: call your local official to state why you don’t support the creation of the stadium. Links to your Council member’s contact information can be found here. 

           Help spread the message: Help give out posters, table at events, and support the No Arena in Chinatown Solidarity initiative by emailing nacs.hub@gmail.com.    

          Sign the Open Letter (for Arts and Cultural Workers): Add your name to the growing number of people taking solidarity for preserving cultural landmarks and neighborhood centers susceptible to demolition in the wake of the stadium. The form can be found here. 

We hope you got inspired to take action! Stand up, shout out loud, and fight against the stadium’s construction. This project would be a detriment to the cultural fabric of our city, so we cannot let large billionaires dictate our neighborhoods’ future. Philadelphia, let’s unite!

Note: Information was sourced from the No Arena in Chinatown Solidarity newsletter, written by Debbie, Debora, & Yvonne. 

Written By: Farah Feddaraini

Photo: Rania Bakhri 

All photos are from the “No Arena, Save Chinatown” protest of 2023