Inquirer: Wash West residents strongly oppose downtown Sixers arena in neighborhood vote

Washington Square West residents who participated in a community survey voted overwhelmingly against the Sixers’ plan to build a new basketball arena in Center City.

The results were 77.4% opposed and 12.9% in favor, the rest neutral or undecided in the survey conducted by the neighborhood civic association. A total of 412 people responded.

The association board released the results during its Tuesday night meeting on Zoom but took no official stance on the arena. The board has been criticized by some residents for hearing months of presentations from the principals but making no statement for or against.

“The arena will be built before you decide,” one person said in the Zoom chat on Tuesday.