It is a head-spin development from the fight the 76ers have lodged over the last two years when it sought to build a new arena in Chinatown and close to the city’s center, and as it went to battle with Comcast,

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.

Mayor Cherelle Parker said she supports plans to keep the Sixers basketball team in South Philadelphia, instead of building a new arena in Center City.