The Wells Fargo Center is nearing the end of its $400 million renovation, with the final stage of work now underway, Comcast Spectacor, the facility’s owner, said Monday.
New renderings show the outside of the arena – home to the Flyers and 76ers and host to dozens of concerts – adorned with video boards and lines of lights.
Three new screens, measuring nearly 35 feet tall, are being added to the stadium, Comcast Spectacor said. The wraparound lights can change color or play a short video, to reflect team colors or the nature of the event, according to the company.
“These exterior upgrades feature the latest modern technology to bring new, exciting elements to Philly’s home for sports and entertainment,” Wells Fargo Center President Phil Laws said in a statement.
In addition, crews are working to widen the two Broad Street gates to the South Philadelphia sports complex, expanding from four lanes to six lanes each. Officials said the extra vehicular space, along with more sales kiosks, should help traffic flow.
The Wells Fargo Center opened 27 years ago, and the Sixers have cited its age as a reason for their pursuit of a new $1.3 billion arena on East Market Street in Center City.
Representatives from Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Flyers, point to the renovation project, which began in 2016 and is being carried out in phases. In a news release, the company referred to the arena as the “New Wells Fargo Center.”
“This final stage of our transformation will cap off a seven-year project that has turned this arena into a brand-new venue,” Law said Monday.
The Sixers will remain in South Philadelphia until at least 2031, when the team’s lease expires. Their proposed arena, known as 76 Place, faces a set of hurdles, including securing city approvals amid opposition from organizations in the Chinatown community.
