Could MSG Be On The Move Again?

A couple of years ago Madison Square Garden planned on renovating the existing arena in lieu of joining up with the Moynihan Station plans. Now word is that developer Steven Roth may be attempting to revive a plan to move MSG one block west.

According to the NY Times, Roth's Vornado Realty Trust has been talking to MSG head honcho Hank Ratner, as well as James Dolan, whose family controls the arena—the paper notes that top officials at City Hall are intrigued by the idea. Allegedly the pitch includes how renovating the arena is more expensive (and disruptive for the teams) than building a new one.

However, a Garden rep is insisting their $850 million renovation is already underway, and by the end of next month their theater will be temporarily closed as part of Phase 1; they say no other options are being considered. But surely we've heard that before—after all, how many times has MSG moved now?

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By Jen Carlson in News on May 27, 2010 5:32 PM

Comments [rss]

Jason

SAVE THE HISTORIC FARLEY POST OFFICE

John Clavis

Oh, please, can my tax dollars go towards the construction of *another* sports arena? And can it be named after a corporation? And could that corporation later *also* get some of my tax dollars? Oh, please?

jjazznola

I do not think this will ever go down. I like MSG just the way it is. Only arena you can walk around in without leaving. BTW, what is up with that video?

Tower18

Not sure what you mean by this...are you talking about the ability to walk the concourses in a circle? I've been to countless basketball/hockey facilities where you can walk around them.

Think2wice

Penn Station, built to last for 1,000 years, got replaced by some squat, shit-colored, 60's vision of the not-to-distant future, that was built to last for only 45 years.

whitecastlerock

Let them move-maybe it will force them to pay property taxes. Stop giving these fucking sports teams HUGE tax breaks. Stop complaining about tax revenues being down-START COLLECTING FUCKING PROPERTY TAX ALREADY

Automocar

So what, 45 years ago some rich assholes demolished Penn Station and now 45 years later some rich assholes want to demolish the Farley Post Office?

FJF

Just make sure those wonderful Dolans get to build with some tax exempt bonds like all the other benevolent developers in the city.

Blue387

They never should demolished the old Penn Station.

Splicer

In other words, the airspace above the current arena is worth too much not to build a tall building on that corner. Gotcha.

JenChungsBaby

MSG has turned into such a dump. I was there last month for the first time in a while and the seats are torn up and the paint is falling off everything. Another thing the Dolans have turned to shit with their magic touch.