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hiladelphia City Council members heard concerns from influential groups about a massive development project proposed for South Philadelphia's stadium area, which would bring 1,367 apartments and an entertainment complex. Representatives of the Phillies, Eagles, and Comcast Spectacor presented a united front against the zoning bill that would enable the project, claiming they hadn't received a detailed impact analysis.

    The property is owned by Mark Nicoletti's Philadelphia Suburban Development Corp. (PSDC) and would be developed by Hines, an international real estate company. The teams expressed concerns about insufficient outreach and negotiation with stakeholders like Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Wells Fargo Center and the Philadelphia Flyers. They also questioned the project's parking plan, citing 1,234 spaces for over 1,300 apartments.

    The Sports Complex Special Services District testified against the bill, highlighting a lack of traffic study presentation. Team representatives requested a 60-day delay in the Rules Committee vote but were met with unanimous approval to move forward. Council President Kenyatta Johnson asked pointed questions, noting that someone had approached Nicoletti about purchasing the property – reportedly a Comcast Spectacor representative.

    Hines argued that their project would create a new neighborhood in an underutilized area, while a local civic association expressed concerns about parking. The bill was amended to clarify a sunset clause for zoning permits within two years of passage. By the end of the hearing, both sides made conciliatory statements about future negotiations, with the possibility of passing the bill as early as next week.

    "We do not oppose new development in the stadium complex area," said Michael Harris of the Phillies. "We simply urge that developments follow a comprehensive review consistent with the city's practices at the sports stadium complex."