The Philadelphia 76ers will partner with Comcast Spectacor, their current landlord, to build a new arena in South Philadelphia and abandon a deal with the city to move downtown. The stunning reversal comes as a relief to critics of the plan to put a $1.

The Philadelphia 76ers are staying in South Philadelphia in the latest -- and likely final -- twist in their quest to build a new arena. The Josh Harris-owned 76ers and the NHL's Flyers (owned by Comcast Spectacor) made an announcement Monday morning that the two teams will continue sharing a home in the South Philly Stadium Complex and will build a new arena slated to open by 2031 in a "50-50 joint venture.

The move comes as a surprise after most recent reports cited the 76ers decision to not move forward with plans to build a new $1.3 billion arena. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Sunday that multiple council members confirmed the change in plans following the city’s initial approval of the project.