The Philadelphia 76ers are staying in South Philadelphia in the latest — and likely final — twist in their quest to build a new arena. The Josh Harris-owned 76ers and the NHL’s Flyers (owned by Comcast Spectacor) made an announcement Monday morning that the two teams will continue sharing a home in the South Philly Stadium Complex and will build a new arena slated to open by 2031 in a “50-50 joint venture.”
The news broke Sunday, and was a shocking reversal for the 76ers, who spent two-and-a-half years pushing for their own new arena in Center City, on the border of Philadelphia’s Chinatown. The 76ers — who also flirted with the idea of moving to Camden, N.J. — even got key approvals from city lawmakers in December in a contentious vote. The two teams both currently play at the Wells Fargo Center in the Stadium Complex, an area the NFL’s Eagles and MLB’s Phillies also call home.
In addition to the arena announcement, the two ownership groups say they are also teaming up “to bid to bring a WNBA team to the city.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman both had statements in the press release announcing the new arena deal. Silver said it was “great news for the City of…