South Philadelphia Sports Complex
Encyclopedia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
Sports Complex is the current home of Philadelphia's professional sports teams. It is the site of the Wells Fargo Center, Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
and Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...
. A proposed retail/entertainment center, Philly Live!
Philly Live!
Philly Live!- is a high end destination retail, dining and entertainment complex located in the Little Italy neighborhood community of South Philadelphia being constructed within the regional hub borders of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, is expected to be built on the lot previously occupied by the Spectrum.
History
The South Philadelphia Sports Complex was also once home to John F. Kennedy StadiumJohn F. Kennedy Stadium
John F. Kennedy Stadium was an open-air stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that stood from 1925 to 1992. The South Philadelphia stadium was situated on the east side of the far southern end of Broad Street at a location that is now part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
and the Spectrum. Prior to its development, it was a shanty town known as "The Neck" of the undeveloped League Island area formerly Passyunk Township
Passyunk Township, Pennsylvania
Passyunk Township is a defunct township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:...
. Oregon Avenue was the southern border end of the city up to the 1920s.
Sesquicentennial Exposition of 1926
In 1926 the City selected the area south of Oregon Avenue for the 1926 Sesquicentennial International ExpositionSesquicentennial Exposition
The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was a world's fair hosted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition-History:The honor of hosting...
and developed the large river delta land south of Oregon Avenue. South Broad Street was a grand European-styled boulevard surrounded by massive exhibit buildings and structures that were to be a testament to American science, culture, and progress for the future. Following the close of the celebration of this 150 years of American Independence on the Avenue of the Colonies of South Broad Street came quick total demolition except of the stadium.
Packer drive-in movies and bowling
Prior to building Veterans Stadium across Packer Avenue north of JFK Stadium was family entertainment of a bowling alley, and a drive-in theaterDrive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
that was a venue created by Camden, New Jersey, chemical company magnate Richard M. Hollingshead, Jr., whose family owned and operated the R.M. Hollingshead Corporation chemical plant in Camden and that peaked in popularity in the 1950s and 1960s.
Aquarama Aquarium Theater of the Sea
Aquarama existed between 1962 through 1969. It was located at 3200 South Broad Street bordering the Packer ParkPacker Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Packer Park is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States that includes 1,200 homes built in two unique builder developments of Packer Park 1950s and Brinton Estates 1990s. It is one of four residential communities that form Philadelphia's Sports...
residential neighborhood in South Philadelphia. It was the successor to the Philadelphia Aquarium, established in the City of Philadelphia and built in 1911 along the Schuylkill River northwest of the Parkway's Art Museum in Center City.
The relocated aquarium was augmented by elements of family fun exhibits and aquatic shows. The new public spaces hosted popular teen dances, and became an identifiable part of South Philadelphia's pop culture scene during the 1950s and 1960s with disc jockeys like Ed Hurst, Jerry Blavat
Jerry Blavat
Jerry Blavat , also known as "The Geator with The Heator", is an American disc jockey who is known for promoting oldies music on the radio in the Philadelphia area. Blavat was born in South Philadelphia to a Jewish father and Italian mother....
and Dick Clark of American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
garnering significant attention.
A movie theater and fast-food hamburger chain, the "Steer-in", were built on the site, which would be demolished in the 1990s to make way for new residential and commercial development.
Current facilities
The Wells Fargo Center (formerly the CoreStates Center, the First Union Center and the Wachovia Center) opened in 1996 and is home to the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(NHL), Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
(NBA), Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(NLL
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
), and Philadelphia Soul
Philadelphia Soul
The Philadelphia Soul are an Arena Football League team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They began play in as an expansion team. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the American Conference. They won their first ArenaBowl in 2008, defeating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII...
(AFL
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
).
Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
(known as "The Linc") opened in 2003 and is home to the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(NFL) and Temple Owls (NCAA football).
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...
(known as "The Bank") opened in 2004 and is home to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(MLB).
John F. Kennedy Stadium
JFK Stadium opened in 1926 as Sesquicentennial Stadium for the Sesquicentennial Exposition, and was renamed Philadelphia Municipal Stadium following the Exposition. The name was again changed in 1964 in honor of PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, who had been assassinated on November 22, 1963. JFK Stadium was condemned in 1989 and demolished in 1992. JFK was home to the Eagles, the Philadelphia Quakers
Philadelphia Quakers (AFL)
Not to be confused with the defunct Philadelphia Quakers team of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia Quakers baseball team who became the Philadelphia Phillies in 1890 or the University of Pennsylvania athletics teams, the Pennsylvania Quakers....
of the first American Football League
American Football League (1926)
The first American Football League , sometimes called AFL I, AFLG, or the Grange League, was a professional American football league that operated in 1926. It was the first major competitor to the National Football League. Founded by C. C...
, the Philadelphia Bell
Philadelphia Bell
The Philadelphia Bell was a franchise in the World Football League, which operated in 1974 and a portion of a season in 1975. The Bell played their home games at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. The team logo was a representation of the Liberty Bell....
of the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
, and 42 Army–Navy Games. It was also one of the host sites for the original Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
concert in 1985.
The Spectrum
The Spectrum (formerly the CoreStates Spectrum, First Union Spectrum, and Wachovia Spectrum) opened in 1967 and was the home of the Flyers, 76ers and Wings until 1996. From 1996 to 2009 the Spectrum was the home of the Philadelphia PhantomsPhiladelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...
(AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
), Philadelphia KiXX
Philadelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
(NISL
National Indoor Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League , formerly known as the National Indoor Soccer League, is an indoor soccer league which began play in 2008. It is the third league to be known as the Major Indoor Soccer League...
), and served as an alternate home for the Soul of the original AFL. The Spectrum hosted two NHL All-Star Games, two NBA All-Star Games and two NCAA Final Fours. The Spectrum closed on October 31, 2009, following Pearl Jam's
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
performance at the last show of a four-night concert set. Demolition of the Spectrum began in November 2010 and was completed in April 2011.
Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium, also known as "The Vet," opened in 1971, closed in 2003, and was demolished on March 21, 2004. The Vet was home of the Eagles and the Phillies. The Vet also hosted two Major League Baseball All-Star GameMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
s and 17 Army–Navy Games.
Transportation
AT&T Station on SEPTA's Broad Street LineBroad Street Line
The Broad Street Line is a rapid transit line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that runs from Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia...
is within walking distance of the three venues in the area. It was once known as Pattison Station until it was renamed AT&T Station under a naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
agreement in 2010.
See also
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt ParkFranklin Delano Roosevelt ParkFranklin Delano Roosevelt Park is an aesthetically designed park located along the Delaware River in the southern most point of South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprising some which includes a golf course, about of buildings, roadways, pathways for walking, landscaped architecture, and a...
- Sports Complex Special Services DistrictSports Complex Special Services DistrictThe Sports Complex Special Services District is a 501 non-profit organization in Philadelphia that was established in the year 2002 to minimize the impact of concentrating major sporting and entertainment facilities in a geographic area adjacent to established Philadelphia residential...