Could a new Sixers arena land in one of these 3 locations?

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Can you imagine heading to a Sixers home game... in New Jersey? What about right in the heart of Center City? 

The team isn't moving until 2031 at the absolute earliest, if they move at all, but the organization is apparently thinking about its next steps - and asking some Philadelphia residents for input.

That's why, last week, some folks around the city received poll questions about a lot of Sixers-related things including potential sites for a new arena for when the franchise's lease in the Wells Fargo Center ends in 2031.

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Here are the three new (theoretical) locations the poll presented:

Hmmm. We'll get to those in a minute.

The Sixers told Billy Penn that they are "continuing to explore options for when our lease expires in 2031", which makes sense. That's not exactly something you do in a month. It's gonna take some planning!

And this isn't the first time the Sixers' move has come up. You might remember some hubbub two summers ago about a move to Penn's Landing. The team put in a bid to redevelop that area and build a new arena, but the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation didn't select the team's proposal

They could certainly wind up just staying in the Wells Fargo Center. Comcast Spectacor President of Business Operations Valerie Camillo made it clear earlier this year that they hope recent investments in the arena - like renovation of the club level, the creation of the Center City Club, and the gigantic 4K scoreboard - will make the arena "an attractive place to stay" for the Sixers after their lease ends in 2031.

But it's also clear the team is exploring a number of the possibilities out there.

Now, let's examine the three options presented in this poll.

Camden, New Jersey

I understand that the team's practice facility and organizational headquarters is in Camden. I also understand that New Jersey is willing to help the Sixers out with some pretty significant money, like the nearly $80 million in tax credits awarded to the organization when it built its practice facility in Camden back in 2014.

But you can't have the team play in a different state. You just can't. It would be wildly lame. I'm not even entertaining the idea. The Sixers play in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Navy Yard

The Navy Yard is intriguing - it's an area the city seems to want to build up, with tons of development and business projects headed down there - and it would put pressure on SEPTA to build an extension of the Broad Street Line. 

Of course, a BSL extension project has been batted around in the past, but previous studies projected those projects with a 2040 completion date - a significant gap that would make getting to Sixers games without a car way more of a headache than the current public transit option.

Fashion District

This one is fascinating. Putting an arena in such a central location makes sense in theory - so easy to get to! - and there's also the argument that it would help rejuvenate Center City post-pandemic (although recent data from the Center City District shows the area has started to bounce back pretty well).

But where there are pluses there are minuses; namely, how much of the already-existing Center City community would a new arena push out? The Phillies were already turned away by vigorous protests and opposition in 2000 when they tried to plop a new stadium near Chinatown. You have to imagine the Sixers would face similar push back now.

Ultimately we're still almost a decade away from the end of the franchise's lease in the Wells Fargo Center, and these probably aren't the only locations being discussed in the Sixers' offices.

But a move would take some real time, so don't be surprised if you hear more about this in the coming months and years.

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