Xfinity Live! Addition Gets New Renderings For Sign Committee

Comcast Spectacor and the Cordish Companies waste no time pushing the plans after the arena pivot

Boy, oh boy, was this an interesting week to be out of commission writing-wise. There was that little bit of news about 76 Place being nixed, with the Sixers and Comcast coming to an agreement to build a new South Philly arena in tandem (NOTE: I want to say on record how disappointed I am with the major players in this process; to jerk the city around like this for personal gain is gross, especially given how much focus this was given by City Council and the Mayor. There are plenty of other issues to tackle other than the public leverage moves of multi-billion-dollar organizations. But I digress). After there had been teases over the last year or so, we now have some more details on an expanded Xfinity Live!

The west end of the Fashion District will no longer morph into an NBA arena

So, before we dive into the details, adding some context around these plans seems very important. First off, the current Xfinity Live! was a downsized version of the original plans. Secondly, there have been numerous proposals to reactivate this area, ranging from an eSports arena to an office building. If you’ve been down there since 2012, however, you’ll find that the area remains barren to this day despite the countless promises of a lively future.

The planned Fusion Arena…before the team moved to South Korea

Pattison Place office also exists only as a rendering

Which leads us to today, when a submission to the Sign Committee of the Art Commission gives us a clearer picture of what may be coming soon. While we feel a bit like Charlie Brown eying up a football as Lucy holds it in place, let’s approach this new submission with an open heart and an open mind as we get a taste of the revamped sports complex.

“To err is human, to forgive divine”

These new plans include several different features, including the partial renovation of the existing building with a two-story, open-air pavilion. Additionally, a new stage and lawn will be added, with multiple bars to pound some brews before RESPECTFULLY TREATING OTHER TEAMS’ FANS (come on, folks - let’s stop needlessly being shitheads to people who want to come to our great city to enjoy sports, even if they are talking trash). This will all be smack dab in the center of the complex, forming something of an island of activity in this paved ocean.

The ground level layout of the new plans, including the stage, lawn and beer garden

The second level of the updates, including a PBR Deck

An aerial view of the plans with CBP in the background. Will we ever see these mature trees?

The ground-level experience walking into Xfinity Live! 2

Another aerial gives some additional context to the stadia

Rays of sun shining from the heavens upon all of the Scott Rolen fans walking in

These plans are slightly refined from what we had seen before in November, and honestly this would be a wonderful addition to the area. Having enjoyed live music and beer outside of Nationals Park at The Bullpen, this seems like a more permanent version of our division rivals’ popular spot. In addition to these renderings showing the overall look and feel, we have a boatload of additional details and views, as this is indeed a review of the proposed signage. And there is going to be a LOT, as the renderings below show very clearly.

Oh, just a couple dozen sign locations

A helpful sign you can sit on in case you forget what city you’re in

Some team-branded signage - just need the Union and a WNBA team to complete the display

The Crush Bar, where you go to meet ladies you’re into who don’t like you

Not a player, just crushing a lot near the new lawn

A look at another bar and seating area, with the stage in the background

The landscaping-heavy beer garden

More ground level views of the brick-paved plaza and hardscaping

A tree-covered seating area offers a place to chill pre- or post-game

The Ava VIP area provides a fancier spot for those who demand exclusivity

Milwaukee meets Miami with the PBR Yard next to the Ava

Another view of the “back” of the plaza

Quite the trip, wouldn’t you say? While we’ve been tongue-in-cheek throughout much of this article, it would indeed be encouraging to see SOMETHING positive happen at the sports complex. With cities from DC to St. Louis to San Diego and beyond reviving the area around their sports venues, we hope to see more here eventually than just a place to have a non-tailgate drink during game days.

Additionally, we don’t see ANYTHING about creating a more walkable pathway from NRG Station to this complex, showcasing a very driver-oriented focus to the planning (nor any plans for any additional public transit, in fact). In order to truly make this a successful project, it would serve all planning parties to remember that there are sports fans beyond suburban New Jerseyites who shun the rest of the city like the plague. Let’s try to create something that truly serves the people of Philadelphia instead of a well-heeled few. Hmmm, that sounds familiar….