😡 “I’m so livid”: 76ers cancel downtown arena

🏟️ After All That, Sixers Drop Center City Arena Plan and Stay in South Philly

“I’m so livid right now I don’t even know what to do,” Councilmember Jimmy Harrity, who just a few weeks ago helped to advance the 76ers’ $1.3 billion arena proposal in City Council, told The Inquirer on Sunday. While keeping the Sixers at the stadium complex and away from Market East is welcome news for a lot of Philadelphians, particularly those in neighboring Chinatown, the early takeaway from the unexpected news was that the city got played by the team. Harrity said he felt he was “used as a pawn” as the billionaires who run the 76ers faked a move to Center City to get a better deal with their current landlord, Comcast Spectacor. [🔒 The Inquirer, 🎧 City Cast Philly]

🚘 Why Philadelphians Lost 77 Hours

Philly ranked fifth in the nation for most congested roads last year, and boy can we tell. On average, drivers lost 77 hours of their 2024 sitting in traffic – an increase of 12% compared to the previous year. This surge in congestion can partly be attributed to the 9% decline in remote work in the city, leading to more commuters headed to the office. [🎧 City Cast Philly, 🔒 The Inquirer]

📜 Could Biden’s Presidential Library Be Based in Philly?

Mayor Cherelle Parker is advocating for Philadelphia to get Joe Biden’s presidential library. Parker cited Biden’s ties to Scranton and Philadelphia’s historical significance as the birthplace of American democracy. Of course, multiple locations in Delaware are also being considered. [WHYY]

🏘️ Philly Landlords and an Illegal Scheme

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against six of the country’s largest landlords, accusing them of a harmful pricing scheme. These companies own 1.3 million properties nationwide, including several apartment buildings in West Philly, Fishtown, and Rittenhouse. [Metro Philadelphia]

Podcasts are everywhere, and Philly’s ecosystem for podcasts is thriving. City Cast Philly is, of course, your go-to podcast for all things Philly. But once you’ve caught up on our latest episodes, what else should you be tuning into? Here are a bunch of Philly podcasts to check out this year. What’d we miss? Let us know.

🏈 For the Philly Phanatics

Kicking things off with the Eagles, naturally: Sheil Kapadia hosts the Ringer’s Philly Special, which has instant analysis of the last game and previews for what’s ahead. If you’re counting down the days to the Phillies’ season, WHYY/Billy Penn’s Hittin’ Season is approaching 1,000 episodes and fills your feed even during the winter. For Sixers fans, you’ll want to check The Rights to Ricky Sanchez, a phenomenally popular pod hosted by Spike Eskin and Michael Levin. Come to bemoan The Process; stay for the laughs. Flyers fans, don’t miss Snow the Goalie, a podcast that covers everything from game strategies to player trades. And we didn’t forget about the Philadelphia Union: The PHLY Philadelphia Union Podcast, hosted by Renee Washington and J.P. Zapata, covers the team closer than anyone.

📰 Stay Up to Date

The Philadelphia Citizen podcast, CitizenCast, has narrations of its articles on policy, politics, and culture in the city. And the WHYY radio show Studio 2 with Avi Wolfman-Arent and Cherri Gregg is in your podcast feeds covering news throughout the Delaware Valley.

🖼️ For the Art Lovers

Philly’s streets are a living canvas, and if you’re eager to know the stories behind that art check out Art Outside hosted by Conrad Benner, founder of the long-time popular photo blog Streets Dept. He takes a deep dive into the stunning murals that adorn the city, featuring interviews with the artists themselves.

For all my cinephiles out there, we recommend The Micheaux Mission hosted by Vincent Williams and Len Webb. These Philly film enthusiasts are on a mission to watch every African-American film released in theaters. You can even catch our very own Trenae Nuri on an episode, and hear the guys on City Cast Philly.