True to form, Mayor Cherelle Parker gave “the people of Chinatown” less than 24 hours’ notice of a public meeting about the Philadelphia 76ers’ proposal to build an arena adjacent to Chinatown. At the meeting, Parker passionately defended her agreement with the Sixers, stating:
Anyone who has any challenges with what is contained in this agreement, you no longer have the Philadelphia 76ers as the villain here. I am Cherelle L. Parker. I am the 100th mayor of the city of Philadelphia. I am proud and take full responsibility for what is included in this agreement.
What Parker seems to miss is that there can be more than one villain in this story.
Parker said this “historic agreement is the best financial deal ever entered into by a Philadelphia mayor for a local sports arena.” Given the city’s track record in negotiations, “the best financial deal” doesn’t automatically mean it’s a good deal.
The Save Chinatown Coalition rightly boycotted the last-minute meeting.
Parker’s message to residents and business owners who view 76 Place as an existential threat:
I want Chinatown’s rich and vibrant community and proud history to not just survive but to thrive. We have the best Chinatown in the United States, and I am committed to working together to support it. This is a chance for new partnership and growth, based on mutual understanding and respect.
Parker’s words ring hollow. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Chinatown as one of America’s most endangered places in 2023, noting
Historically, residents and supporters of Chinatowns have fought—and continue to fight—large-scale development projects that demand they and other communities of color accept disproportionate harm in the name of progress for all.
After Parker announced a Community Benefits Agreement with the Sixers, which was negotiated without input from the very community facing disproportionate harm, the National Trust released a statement:
The National Trust stands with local coalitions and the majority of Philadelphia residents who oppose the arena abutting Chinatown and will be most impacted by this devastating decision. Time and time again, history has shown us that large-scale planning decisions are made with significant consequences to communities of color. There is still time to chart a new path forward. The National Trust will continue to amplify the grave threat that this poses to one of the oldest intact Chinatown communities in the nation.
Maya Angelou’s words of caution echo here: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
Months ago, Parker’s Art Commission ignored the zoning code and allowed Midwood Investment and Development to renege on their commitment to preserve the legacy of Henry Minton in public memory.
An elite caterer and financier of the Underground Railroad, Minton hosted figures like Frederick Douglass and John Brown. The developer erased Black history without a word from Parker.
Why should the Save Chinatown Coalition trust Parker to respect their history and cultural heritage?
PHL Watchdog 