History
The Spectrum opened in autumn 1967 at the north edge of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, built for the NHL's expansion Flyers and also adopted by the 76ers. Within months, part of its roof was damaged during an Ice Capades show in March 1968.
The Flyers won the 1974 Stanley Cup on its ice, and the 76ers played four NBA Finals there between 1977 and 1983. It also hosted boxing, college basketball and a long list of concerts.
The big-league tenants left in 1996 for the new arena next door, and the Spectrum carried on with the AHL Phantoms and other events until a Pearl Jam concert on Halloween 2009. A wrecking ball began demolition in November 2010. The Flyers and 76ers have announced a new arena planned for the former Spectrum grounds, targeted for 2030.
Why it matters: Philadelphia's main arena for three decades and the home ice of both Flyers Stanley Cup championships.
Timeline
- June 1, 1966Groundbreaking[1]
Jerry Wolman and Mayor James Tate broke ground.
- September 30, 1967
A jazz festival was the arena's first event; the first sporting event, a Joe Frazier bout, followed on October 17.
- March 1, 1968Roof damaged[1]
Part of the roof was damaged during an Ice Capades performance.
- May 19, 1974Flyers win first Stanley Cup[1]
The Flyers beat Boston 1-0 in Game 6 to win the Cup on home ice.
- 1996Flyers and 76ers move next door[1]
Both teams moved to the new CoreStates Center (now Xfinity Mobile Arena); the 76ers' last game at the Spectrum as primary home was April 19, 1996.
- October 31, 2009
Pearl Jam closed the arena with the last of a four-night run.
- November 23, 2010
External demolition began with a ceremony; the work was expected to take four to five months and was completed in spring 2011.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2,3,4] |
|---|---|
| Surviving remnants | Statues associated with the arena (Kate Smith, Julius Erving and others) were relocated; Stateside Live! incorporated some of them[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
We have not verified what occupies the site today. Know? Tell us, with a source.
Teams & events
| Philadelphia 76ers | NBA · 1967–1996 |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Flyers | NHL · 1967–1996 |
| Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL · 1996–2009 |
| Philadelphia Wings | NLL · 1987–1996 · tenant |
| Philadelphia KiXX | NPSL · 1996–2009 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Official name | Wachovia Spectrum |
|---|---|
| Other names | Spectrum (1967–1994); CoreStates Spectrum (1994–1998); First Union Spectrum (1998–2003); Wachovia Spectrum (2003–2009) |
| Location | South side of Pattison Avenue between Broad and 11th Streets, South Philadelphia Sports Complex, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1] |
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Hockey, Football, Basketball, Soccer, Boxing & wrestling |
| Level | NHL, NBA, AHL, NCAA, Arena Football League |
| Opened | September 30, 1967[1,2,3] |
| Last used for sports | October 31, 2009[1,2,4] |
| Demolished | 2010–2011[1,2,3,4] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 18,168[1] |
| Capacity notes | Final configuration: 18,168 basketball, 17,380 hockey. Earliest recorded hockey attendance figure 14,558 (1968-69); original design capacity not found. |
| Owner / operator | Comcast Spectacor (owner at closure)[1,2] |
| Closure | Superseded by the adjacent CoreStates Center (now Xfinity Mobile Arena); owner Comcast Spectacor closed it to redevelop the land. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Spectrum (arena) (Wikipedia), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, coordinates, demolished, events, opened, owner operator, remnants, teams
- The Spectrum, Stalwart Philly Arena, Gets Razed (AP), Construction Equipment Guide / Associated Press. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, demolished, opened, owner operator
- That was then, this is pow (Nov. 24, 2010), The Philadelphia Inquirer. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, opened
- South Philadelphia Sports Complex (Wikipedia), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, demolished
- Sixers, Flyers new South Philly arena (Sept. 8, 2026), Billy Penn. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: current land use
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- Demolition completion: Spectrum article says May 2011; South Philadelphia Sports Complex article says April 2011.
- Wikipedia's Spectrum infobox lists 3601 South Broad Street, the same address as Xfinity Mobile Arena; the article text places the arena on the south side of Pattison Avenue between Broad and 11th Streets.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.