Philadelphia is a top global destination for business, as well as among the nation’s leaders in inclusive growth.
“It is time to level up our approach.”
Those were words spoken by Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia President and CEO Chellie Cameron during its annual meeting on Friday, October 10.
With Philadelphia preparing to be on a world stage in 2026, the city has a tremendous opportunity to grow upon its progress and ensure that when the festivities are over next year, it doesn’t just return to business as usual.
“We want to keep the momentum going and level up to something greater, going farther and faster and stronger together than we’ve ever done before,” Cameron added.
There are several ways that Philadelphia can improve for not only its business community, but for every resident, regardless of the neighborhood in which they live.
Christopher Franklin, the new board chair for the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, highlighted three priorities that the region needs that the region needs to address.
All three of these priorities impact some of the most important assets in the Philadelphia region.
First is looking to find a long-term funding solution for SEPTA.
“Transit is not a city issue,” said Franklin. “Public transit is a regional issue, and we need to think about it that way. And we cannot continue to run to Harrisburg every few years and ask for short term fixes.”
Franklin is calling for the House, Senate, and Governor to all be engaged in finding that long-term solution.
The second priority is making continuous improvements to Philadelphia International Airport.
While he highlighted the millions of dollars that have been spent to renovate the bathrooms in the Airport, a lot more needs to be done.
“Despite our progress, Philadelphia International Airport continues to be [the] worst in customer satisfaction in the last five years compared to similar size airports around the country.,” said Franklin. “That’s according to JD Power.”
When he talks to people around the region about their needs when it comes to the airport, baggage claim is another big issue.
The final priority listed was improving traffic around the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
“How many of you have attended a sporting or a concert event at our stadium complex, and say to yourselves, on the way out, ‘there’s got to be a better way to get out of this parking lot?’” Franklin asked.
To address this, there is already work underway and plans on the horizon to make improvements. This includes building new ramps, computerized traffic signals, and clearer pedestrian routing.
All in all, Franklin said that addressing these three priorities “will improve the Philadelphia experience, not only for those of us who live here, but also for visitors, and would also improve the flow of goods and services from our region to all areas around the world.”
