Comcast-Spectacor officials eye Camdem County in south Jersey as the site of a replacement for the Spectrum, but they stress they’re not interested in building a new arena on their own dime.
Comcast-Spectacor officials are looking at Camdem County in south Jersey as the site of a replacement for the Spectrum, but they stress they’re not interested in building a new arena on their own dime.
The Spectrum is slated to be torn down in 2009, leaving the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL) and mid-level events without a home. Officials from other areas, including the Lehigh Valley and Atlantic City, have pitched either new or existing facilities as the next home of the Phantoms.
And although Comcast-Spectacor is working with the Camden County Improvement Authority to identify potential arena sites — we’ve been told Cherry Hill’s Garden State Pavilions is a leading candidate — by no means has there been a decision to move forward with an arena there. Indeed, one issue will be the availability of another venue while a new venue is being built. And Comcast officials say they’re not interested in spending a dime on a new facility — past ponying up your basic rental fees. Many things would need to happen before a team moves to a new Cherry Hill or Reading arena: funding sources would need to be identified (presumably with some state aid involved as well), and local officials would need to sign off on any plan as well.
