It’s good to be a Philly fan.
As the city’s major sports teams continue to thrive, there is another star emerging at the stadiums in South Philly.
Wells Fargo Center’s new club level made its big debut during the Philadelphia Flyers’ season opener last week. Featuring a restaurant from Stephen Starr (Adrian, named for Rocky’s wife), towering, tony culinary kiosks from Jose Garces (Garces Eats) and Marc Vetri (MVP pizza), a fashion-forward, Philly team boutique (Cap & Collar), a private bar area, Showplace — named after the Spectrum with accompanying historical remnants and photos dedicated to Flyers and Wells Fargo Center founder Ed Snider and other iconic figures from the venue — four opulent bars and even holograms, it seems as though the massive revamp was worth the $70 million price tag.
Along with grand gestures of the Adrian and long, dark bars ripe with fiery OLED displays, it’s the nooks-and-crannies of the WFC’s new club level that will most excite members and VIP-seeking visitors. Like the classic concert photos, original wrought iron gates and Broad Street Bullies memorabilia — all from The Spectrum — surrounding the personalized liquor lockers of Showplace, and the dozens of Day of the Dead skull tchotchkes filling the Tequila Room, and the seemingly endless private bar and chill out hang suites.
Valerie Camillo, President and CEO of Spectacor Sports and Entertainment, states that the WFC’s transformation process started in 2016, and since that time, the team has worked diligently to “re-imagine every inch of the arena to make it a new facility,” with an overall investment of more than $350 million, including over $70 million for the design and construction of the Club Level and Premium Entrance.
“From the beginning, our goal was to celebrate Philadelphia’s incredible sports and entertainment history while also embracing the latest, best-in-class technologies and food and beverage options,” says Camillo. “Now that it’s finished, we can certainly say that we reached that goal.”
Ask Camillo about getting in business with star restauranteurs such as Starr, Garces and Vetri, and she says that her vision was always to ensure that the new Wells Fargo Center had the best food and beverage options of any venue in the country.
“With world-class restauranteurs like Stephen Starr, Marci Vetri, and Jose Garces based right here in Philadelphia, we knew we could achieve that with a decidedly Philly flavor… With a Stephen Starr restaurant, you know that their quality and attention to detail are second to none, and that’s exactly what we wanted for Adrian. The restaurant we’ve created together is spectacular and gives our guests an experience they can’t get anywhere else.”
On what will change at bars such as Clarkie’s (named for Flyer Bobby Clarke) and Chamberlain’s (named after one-time Sixer Wilt Chamberlain), when the WFC moves from hockey to basketball, Camillio states that every part of the new Wells Fargo Center was designed to create an incredible experience for guests, whether they’re attending a Sixers game, Flyers game, or a concert, and the Club Level transforms from event to event to give guests a new and unique experience every time they visit the arena.
“Everything from the lighting and holograms to the bar surfaces in Clarkie’s and Chamberlain’s will change depending on the event, and the merchandise on sale in our new boutique, Cap & Collar, will change depending on the event, as well.”
“The new Wells Fargo Center is a world class venue, plain and simple, but make no mistake, this is an arena that’s made for Philadelphia and Philly sports fans, and it matches up with any arena in the country, because that’s what our fans deserve,” says Camillo. “We have lots of amazing new features and amenities, but we’ll never forget where we come from and what makes this city special. That history and that legacy are celebrated throughout the new Wells Fargo Center, and we can’t wait to host the greatest fans in the world here for decades to come.”
