As most of you know by now, Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, as it’s officially named, will open the weekend of March 28-30. Back in December, I got an exclusive preview of what you can expect to see inside the new entertainment center, located smack dab in the middle of the Philly sports complex near where the Spectrum used to stand. There will be six main areas: Philly marketplace, NBC Sports Arena, PBR Bar and Grill, Broad Street Bullies Pub, Spectrum Grill, and Victory Beer Hall.
On Thursday, Xfinity Live! VP of Marketing Rob Johnson gave me a tour of the complex which is now just 53 days away from opening. There is still much work to be done, as I had to sidestep puddles, wires, and duck under wood beams and scaffolding (once unsuccessfully...), but it will be open for Bruce Springsteen concertgoers on March 28.
One of the most-heard reactions to our first post was regarding the size-- it doesn’t look big enough to hold six separate areas. Well, without seeing the finished product, I can tell you that the inside is much more open than the building's footprint would lead you to believe. Crowd control will all depend on how well the Xfinity Live! (!!!) folks segment patrons into each of the different areas. On event days and during peak hours, most if not all areas will be open to the public. The full schedule is as follows:
Everyday 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.: Broad Street Bullies Pub, NBC Sports Arena, Philly Marketplace
Tuesday-Sunday and event days 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Spectrum Grill (earlier hours based on event start time)
Thursday-Sunday and event days 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.: Victory Beer Hall (earlier hours based on event start time), PBR (earlier hours based on event start time)
In short, Xfinity Live! will be open daily from 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.
Two main entranceways, one facing the Wells Fargo Center and one facing Citizens Bank Park, will lead into the marketplace. That area will feature an Old Original Cheesesteak Company stand, where you can mix and match your favorite styles and cuts of streak from well-known local establishments (Pat’s cut, Geno’s cut, etc.). The marketplace will look into the NBC Sports Arena, where a massive, 32-foot HD screen will hang (the largest of its kind-- the Cowboys’ screen is bigger, but doesn’t have as high of a resolution). The marketplace will be the hub and center of the complex and will also feature a Chickie’s and Pete’s, a Nick’s Roast Beef, a yet-unannounced coffee bar with “adult milkshakes,” and a yet-unannounced popular local apparel company.
Like the marketplace and NBC Sports Arena, the other four areas will be individually managed: a Philly-style sports bar (Broad Street Bullies Pub), a high-end steak joint (Spectrum Grille), a Tex-Mex style restaurant complete with mechanical bull (PBR), and a German-style beer garden (The Victory Beer Hall).
The Victory Beer Hall has a mezzanine level and a 2,000 square-foot outdoor patio complete with fire pit.
PBR Bar and Grill is “Tex-Mex by day” and “party bar” at night. It will feature a giant mechanical bull in the center of the room.
Broad Street Bullies Pub is being marketed as a “neighborhood bar,” and will be the most family friendly area of Xfinity Live!.
Spectrum Grill aims to compete and beat high-end steakhouses like the Capital Grille.
There will be free parking on non-event days, and free parking one hour after the last event begins on game days.
Most parts of Xfinity Live! will be flexible and convertible. Many of the mezzanine areas, including the one overlooking the marketplace and 32-foot HD screen, will be used for DJ booths, live acts, radio stations, VIPs, and as rental space. The complex can seat 1,500 people, but there are many standing areas, and a maximum occupancy has yet to be established.
There are no finishings or fixtures in place, but the video after the jump gives you a good idea of the size and layout of Xfinity Live! Enjoy.
i love the guys ass crack at 2:02
Posted by: brandon | February 06, 2012 at 02:39 PM
Awesome. Local thugs can get loaded at broad street bullies and punch out rangers fans in line for cheesesteaks - all without having to go outside in the cold.
Posted by: mac | February 06, 2012 at 02:40 PM
Is this that place that they're building around the Spectrum? I think it's so cool that they were able to use the old building and commemorate everything that happened in there. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Flyers!
Posted by: William | February 06, 2012 at 02:45 PM
MAC, FYI it's not the "local thugs" that do that, it's the guys coming over here from New Jersey.
Posted by: Prime Time | February 06, 2012 at 03:04 PM
so it's like a mall, but instead of shopping it's booze and cheesesteaks. i'm okay with that. can't wait to meet some drunk hookers at this place
Posted by: Blonders | February 06, 2012 at 03:14 PM
@prime time - Correct. Let me go again - "Jersey trash can get loaded at..."
Posted by: mac | February 06, 2012 at 03:25 PM
In all seriousness, at least there will be another option before phils games. Mcfaddens has run its course for me.
Posted by: mac | February 06, 2012 at 03:26 PM
I hope there's alot of hot guys in tight pants and giants jerseys in this place!
Posted by: Dan Griffoni | February 06, 2012 at 03:27 PM
MAC how about we go tie one on at this place and then have a secret rendevous in the backseat of my car?
Posted by: Dominick Lombardo | February 06, 2012 at 03:29 PM
william - its not built around the spectrum. its a separate building built right next to/overlapping where the spectrum used to be. i hate to be the one to tell you this but the spectrums gone. they werent able to use the old building and they are not commemorating what happened there. this is a totally different and new initiative that has nothing to do with the spectrum itself whatsoever. although i think it wouldve been cool if they had redone the entire inside of the spectrum and made it into this. they did something similar with the old montreal forum where the habs used to play
Posted by: JohnnyRockets27 | February 06, 2012 at 03:41 PM
How bout the old jag-off with the steelers construction hat at 38, as the cuz would say "dats a vial-lation".
Posted by: MM | February 06, 2012 at 04:19 PM
upper decker in those urinals is a must.
Posted by: Toneloc | February 06, 2012 at 04:27 PM
There's gonna be slammin pu$$y in this place.
Posted by: Ken Junod | February 06, 2012 at 08:23 PM
Why does philly keep allowing these really ugly cheap buildings. Another example Sugarhouse Casino
this is a copy!
Posted by: paulg5 | February 06, 2012 at 10:08 PM
Looking forward to the rude bartenders, rude service staff, rude dj's, but hot waitresses with skimpy tops service $7 beers.
Copy Mcfaddens Paste Mcfaddens
I will definitely be sneaking beers into this joint.
Posted by: joe mama | February 07, 2012 at 06:27 AM