Temple University board unanimously approves $1M for football stadium impact study

Temple University's Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve $1 million in spending to explore the design of a new North Philly football complex, which the school president likened with the bustling commercial district surrounding Boston's Fenway Park.

The board authorized $1 million in funding for a design and environmental impact study of the stadium, which would go up between Broad and 16th streets, and Montgomery Avenue and Norris Street.

A local resident asks questions about how a new stadium would impact her community.

Beyond the stadium, the design envisions a retail perimeter, which Temple President Neil Theobald said would put the North Philly community in line with the neighborhood surrounding the home of the Boston Red Sox.

The stadium will cost $126 million to build, but Theobald projected it would save the university $21 million in expenses after the first seven years.

The entire $126 million needed for construction would come at no cost to students, Theobald said.

The board did not vote on whether to actually build the stadium Monday, a fact Theobald emphasized to the handful of protestors who signed up for the public comment session.

Unlike Temple's recent Q&A session for students, the protestors remained mostly calm throughout the several hour meeting.

Frustration grew for some of the commenters opposed to the stadium as the board tried to cap the number of commenters at five.

After a brief statement by Temple's student body president Ryan Rinaldi expressing his belief that the majority of students support the stadium, several more protestors seized the floor despite the end of the public comment period.

They pleaded to the board to offer some investment in North Philadelphia to offset Temple's plans. They also condemned the university for disrupting the milieu of the community and eroding decades of African-American and minority culture.

Despite the frustrations of community members and the rising volume of protestors outside, all board members voted in favor of moving forward with exploring the stadium's design.

“We are working diligently to be good neighbors to the North Philadelphia community,” said Patrick O'Connor, board chairman.

There are still many steps before shovels move ground on a new stadium.

Temple still needs the support of Mayor Jim Kenney — who has come out against the stadium— and Council President Darrell Clarke, whose district includes the school.

Kenney has said he prefers Temple continues to use Lincoln Financial Field, but school officials previously explained a new lease agreement between the school and the team would cost $2 million in rent annually, plus a $12 million upfront payment. The university currently pays $1 million per year to lease the Linc, and it receives barely any parking/merchandise revenues.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal