The Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority (ANIZDA) oversees and manages the NIZ – a special district created by state law that is being utilized to encourage development and revitalization in center city Allentown and along the western side of the Lehigh River.
ANIZDA is a public instrumentality of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania authorized pursuant to the Economic Development Financing Law. It is governed by a nine-member board of directors and managed by an executive director. Board meetings are open to the public. The audited financial statements of the Authority may be viewed and downloaded using the link below.
PPL CENTER
ANIZDA financed and owns the PPL Center. Completed in 2014, the 10,000-seat arena is home to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. The arena also hosts concerts, shows, NCAA basketball, arena football and community events.
Development of the arena has been the catalyst for hundreds of millions in additional private real estate development, funded in part through ANIZDA utilizing the powerful financing tool available only in the NIZ.