A nighttime rendering of the proposed changes at Xfinity Mobile Arena in South Philadelphia.
Philadelphia sports fans are getting a preview of the cosmetic changes Comcast Spectactor plans to make at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in the coming weeks.
The venue known as the Wells Fargo Arena until two months ago is slated to get new branded signage, a purple color scheme and a 12-foot tall “X” sculpture at one of its entrances.
New renderings of the home arena for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers were included in Comcast Spectacor’s proposal for updated signage submitted to the Sign Committee of the Philadelphia Art Commission.
The submission featuring designs by Jones Sign said the goal is to complete this work ahead of a rebranding celebration at the venue scheduled for Sept. 2.
“We need to clear Signage Committee approvals at the July 30 meeting with full Commission approval at the August 13 meeting in order to meet the construction schedule,” attorney Richard Hayden of Saul Ewing LLP wrote in the application.
This new branding is scheduled to remain in effect until the 2030-2031 NBA season, which is when Comcast Spectacor and Sixers owner Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment hope to open a new arena in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
HBSE spent years working to get approvals for a new Center City arena that would replace part of the Fashion District mall at 12th and Filbert streets.
The company pivoted back to South Philly just days after getting Philadelphia City Council’s blessing for the project.
The NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles are also exploring a new arena. The team held focus groups with select season ticket holders about a potential new football stadium, according to a report from PhillyVoice.com. Its lease at the Lincoln Financial Field is set to expire in 2032.
Owner Jeffrey Lurie revealed that he’s considering building an indoor stadium, which would make Philly more likely to be named as the host city for a future Super Bowl.
Comcast Spectacor is also plotting a $2.5B mixed-use redevelopment of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, which would include new apartments, hotels and a 5,500-seat performance stage.