Philadelphia mayor confirms the 76ers won’t move to NJ despite relocation rumors—what this means for the team’s future. Giang.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced Wednesday that she has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers to build a new arena in Center City. This would keep the team from a rumored relocation to Camden, New Jersey.

“We are grateful to Mayor Parker and her team for their time and diligence in evaluating our proposal and look forward to advancing to the next steps with City Council,” the 76ers said in a statement.

The proposed Center City location has been controversial in Philadelphia, with members of the Chinatown community concerned about the new arena’s proximity to the neighborhood and the possible negative impact—from gentrification to congestion—for Chinatown residents.

“This is a blatant example of governmental malpractice, a failure on the part of the government to do its due diligence on behalf of the people of this city,” Asian Americans United’s Debbie Wei told Ximena Conde of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Per Conde, a number of protestors against building the new arena near Chinatown gathered outside of Philadelphia’s City Hall on Wednesday.

“To the people of Chinatown, please here me,” Parker said in her announcement. “I see you, I listened to you, I want your rich and vibrant community and proud history to not just survive, but to thrive. I believe we have the best Chinatown in the nation, and I am committed to working together with you to support it.”

The new plans still need to be approved by Philadelphia’s City Council.

The Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment group, which owns the Sixers and will self-finance the new arena, proposed a Center City arena in Philadelphia back in 2022. That effort was met with the same resistance from Chinatown residents that followed Parker’s announcement on Wednesday.

But with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy reportedly endorsing a plan to have the Sixers build an arena in Camden on state-owned land, the pressure was on Philadelphia to agree with the Sixers on a deal to keep the team in the city. Parker’s announcement on Wednesday brought such a deal one step closer to reality.