On January 13, 2025, the Philadelphia 76ers announced that they are no longer pursuing the proposed arena plan in Center City, Philadelphia adjacent to historic Chinatown. The team announced that they will remain in South Philadelphia, and plan to transform the existing sports complex into a year-round destination, keeping jobs and economic investment within the city.

This decision follows two years of intense community opposition citing the detrimental impacts this proposal would have had on historic Chinatown, other Center City neighborhoods, and essential city services, which led to the National Trust listing Philadelphia Chinatown on our annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2023. After the Philadelphia City Council voted to approve legislation authorizing the $1.3 billion arena in December, the announcement that the arena will not be built adjacent to Chinatown comes as relief to many who believed that the proposed project would threaten the end of this cherished community.

Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation said in a statement: “The announcement to relocate the project, and the Mayor’s commitment of $20 million for affordable housing, is a validation of Chinatown’s concerns. It is a testament to the power of community organizing, and the potential of Philadelphians when competing visions unite into one.”

This decision supports what the National Trust has always known: that development and preserving places that matter is not a zero-sum game, and that growth and new investment does not need to come at the expense of our cultural heritage and precious community fabric.

The National Trust will continue to amplify the creative vision of local Chinatown advocates to protect and preserve Philadelphia Chinatown and other historic communities for future generations. On February 3 during Lunar New Year, the National Trust will join local leaders of the Philadelphia restaurant industry, Chinatown activist Grace Young, and local leaders at “A Night to Support Chinatown,” an event benefiting Philadelphia Chinatown and Asian Americans United to celebrate the resilience of Chinatown and continue to fight to sustain the neighborhood as a vibrant authentic community.