Madison Square Garden, “the world’s most famous arena,” is in talks of being moved by NYC Mayor Eric Adams amidst the ongoing Penn Station Redevelopment talks.
Adams has been working on the Penn Station project for a while, and the MTA has recently approved a $57 million contract for the renovation’s architectural and engineering designs. The plan would bring “light” to the nation’s largest transit hub. MTA CEO Janna Lieber said the money would be used for vertical circulation. “That’s stairs, escalators, and elevators to get people on and off the platforms,” he said.
Madison Square Garden has been talked about being moved for a while now. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg wanted to move the stadium closer to Manhattan’s westside but was shut down by opposition from James Dolan, CEO of the arena with a strong political force backing him, and the former, late state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Mayor Eric Adams spoke on Sept. 21 about considering talks of moving the arena again. He says Pennsylvania Plaza, the space surrounding Madison Square Garden, would be a perfect place with new housing stock. “I think that we can find the right balance between office and housing,” he said. “We have to build more housing. There’s a real need for housing in the city and particularly in areas that have access to transportation, good health care, good schools.”
The plan is backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul but has been criticized as a cash grab that will serve to benefit real estate developers and drain city finances. Dolan was involved in secret talks to possibly relocate the arena to Hudson Yards, but reportedly Hochul got involved and killed the plan, according to Crain’s.
The moving of the arena hasn’t been confirmed or denied but it seems to be in talks right now between city officials and James Dolan, CEO of MSG.
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