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Philadelphia 76ers Aren't Giving up on Re-Locating Arenas

Although they were rejected from developing a new arena in Penn's Landing, the Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly going to continue searching for other options.

Justin Grasso

Josh Harris and David Blitzer, the Managing Partners of the Philadelphia 76ers, are continuously looking for ways to expand their sports portfolios. In addition to acquiring the Sixers and the NHL's New Jersey Devils, the two partners also obtained a minor stake in the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers this year.

And while they are no longer the favorite to land MLB's New York Mets, Harris and Blitzer are searching for opportunities to build on what they've already got. Their latest project? Re-locating the Philadelphia 76ers.

Over the last couple of weeks, the Sixers' Managing Partners have been in the news as they were reportedly in the running for developing a brand new arena on the waterfront in Penn's Landing. 

According to their proposal, Harris, and Blitzer planned to develop an 18,000-plus seated arena, which would become the home of the Sixers for the 2031 season -- the same year their lease is up at the Wells Fargo Center.

Unfortunately for them, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation rejected the proposal and instead selected a plan from the Durst Organization, which is a New York-based company that won't require any public subsidy for their project.

Although the 76ers' Managing Partners lost out on the Penn's Landing location, the team is reportedly still on the lookout for a new site. According to The PhillyVoice's Kyle Neubeck, the Sixers will "continue to explore options in Philadelphia for a future home." 

Considering they are contractually obligated to remain in South Philly through the 2030 NBA season, a move won't happen anytime soon. But as the Sixers continue playing at the Wells Fargo Center, the team's Managing Partners will continue to find a brand new home for the future. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_ 

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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