Summary

SOME UNREST IN RELATION TO A PROPOSED PHILLIES STADIUM.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 186172
Story Slug Chinatown Protest
Location Chinatown
Format PKG
Date 6/8/2000
Archive Time 37:56
TRT 2:01
Supers Philedelphia, PN Frank Dicicco, Phildelphia City Council D-1 Anna Verna, (D) Council President John Moag, Former MD Stadium Authority Cecelia Moy Yep, Chinatown Development Co. Mayor John Street, (D) Philadelphia Bruce Gordon, Reporting
Video Description CHINA TOWN PROTESTERS, CLOSED SIGN, WOMAN ON CELL PHONE, PROTESTERS, SOT OF FRANK DICICCO, SOT OF OFFICIALS, BUILDINGS, JAMES EARL JONES, CHILDREN READING.
Description SOME UNREST IN RELATION TO A PROPOSED PHILLIES STADIUM.
Script LEAD: TONIGHT (THURSDAY), THE STRONGEST SIGNAL YET THAT 12TH AND VINE STREET WILL NOT WORK AS A SITE FOR A NEW PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BASEBALL PARK. MAYOR JOHN STREET HAS PROMISED BY NEXT THURSDAY TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF A CONCEPTUAL AGREEMENT TO BUILD A STADIUM AT THAT LOCATION, BORDERING CHINATOWN. BUT AS BRUCE GORDON REPORTS, A KEY PLAYER IN THE DEAL MAY NO LONGER BE ON THE MAYOR'S TEAM. SCRIPT: HUNDREDS OF CHINATOWN RESIDENTS TOOK TO THE STREETS THIS AFTERNOON, MARCHING ON CITY HALL TO PROTEST THE MAYOR'S CHOICE OF 12TH AND VINE. MANY BUSINESSES CLOSED THEIR DOORS IN SUPPORT OF THE DEMONSTRATORS. BUT IT IS NOT THESE SIGNS THAT MAY DOOM THE CHINATOWN SITE, IT'S DOLLAR SIGNS. A NEW STUDY COMMISSIONED BY STATE SENATOR VINCENT FUMO SUGGESTS A 12TH AND VINE BALLPARK COULD COST 685 MILLION DOLLARS, FAR MORE THAN ORIGINAL ESTIMATES. AND ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE THINKING OF THE CITY COUNCILMAN WHO REPRESENTS THE DISTRICT. (Sot) DICICCO: "At this point, I'd have to say there's two strikes against my support for a stadium." COUNCILMAN FRANK DICICCO, WHO HAD EARLIER DECLARED HIMSELF UNDECIDED ON THE ISSUE, NOW CONCEDES COST AND NEIGHBORHOOD OPPOSITION HAVE GROWN TOO BIG TO IGNORE. (Sot) DICICCO: "As of today, it is more likely that I will not support it." AS DISTRICT COUNCILMAN, DICICCO HAS THE POWER TO STOP A 12TH AND VINE STADIUM. AND COUNCIL TRADITION DICTATES THAT DICICCO'S COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WILL FOLLOW HIS WISHES. COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA VERNA... (Sot) VERNA: "If he doesn't want it, I don't see that we would do it." LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS ARE STILL CONVINCED A CENTER CITY STADIUM IS THE WAY TO GO. TODAY, THEY HEARD FROM ONE OF THE MEN WHO BROUGHT CAMDEN YARDS TO BALTIMORE'S DOWNTOWN. (Sot) MOAG: "Crime in that area has dropped dramatically. The revitalization of that neighborhood has begun to spread, commercially and residentially, and property values have increased." (Sot) MOY YEP: "I think this was a P.R. thing to keep pushing it through. But what's going to happen is the taxpayers picking up the tab, and I don't know if they're willing to do that." MAYOR STREET, WHO SPENT HIS MORNING ENTERTAINING ACTOR JAMES EARL JONES AT A CITY HALL LITERACY EVENT, DISMISSED THOSE WHO DOUBT HIS FIELD OF DREAMS. (Sot) STREET: "I'm optimistic that if we work hard and if we are a little creative about this. We can have a first-class stadium at 12th and Vine." STAND-UP: IT MAY BE PREMATURE TO SAY THAT 12TH AND VINE IS OFFICIALLY DEAD AS A SITE FOR THE NEW PHILLIES BALLPARK, BUT THESE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS MAKE IT CLEAR. THE MAYOR WILL NEED NOTHING LESS THAN A GRAND SLAM IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH TO PULL THIS ONE OUT. 2100
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