The Philadelphia 76ers won city council approval on Thursday for a $1.3 billion downtown arena despite vocal opposition from nearby Chinatown residents and other activists. Council voted 12-5 to approve the project at a packed meeting at City Hall.

In a contentious scene, Philadelphia’s city council gave the green light to the Philadelphia 76ers for a basketball arena to be built on East Market Street.

The mayor and labor unions touted the economic promise of the $1.3 billion project. Opponents said the arena would decimate the city’s storied Chinatown.