Dolans May Lease Beacon Theatre

The Cablevision Dolans are planning to sink their claws into another Manhattan space: The Beacon Theatre. A long-term lease has been negotiated between the theater's owner and MSG Entertainment - one that has MSG paying much more than the current tenant, which may mean the Beacon's ticket prices would go up even more.

It's expected that MSG would renovate the theater as well as "beef up the Beacon's current roster of concerts with corporate events and awards ceremonies." We wonder if the programming will change by much - it's the only place where Tyler Perry, the Dalai Lama, and Allman Brothers can all hold court. Here's some more about the Beacon from Cinema Treasures.

And speaking of MSG, it turns out that Sheldon Silver's daughter was once hired as a $15/hour temp at Madison Square Garden. The NY Post says that a seven months pregnant Esti Fried got the two-month gig "under a 'directive that came from the top.'" While MSG denies that nepotism was at play, the Post looks at how the Dolans have been generous to Silver:

The Dolans, major campaign donors to both parties, have been generous to Silver and his political causes. From 2000 through 2003, they donated $24,150 to the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee and $10,300 to Silver's campaign, state records show.

And Silver, a diehard Ranger fan, has been a guest at the Dolans' luxury box at MSG. In March, the state Lobbying Commission fined Cablevision $75,000 for failing to report the entertainment of Silver and other lawmakers as lobbying costs.

We happen to think Silver just wants to be contrary to the Republicans in power, but if a West Side Stadium and Moynihan Station can be torpedoed by giving his daughter a temporary job, that's impressive.