Madison Square Garden’s Future Hangs in the Balance

At the public Manhattan hearing, MSG reps made the case for why the Garden should get a special permit in perpetuity after its current 10-year permit expires next month. MSG has refused to consider relocating, something many Midtown locals and transit advocates have called for.

Amtrak, the MTA, and New Jersey Transit, which use Penn Station, argued in a highly critical report released ahead of the meeting that the Garden constrains the transit hub.

Richard Constable, executive vice president for MSG Entertainment, spoke Wednesday and railed against the MTA for “blatantly attempting to use their compatibility report … to further their negotiating position,” though he promised to collaborate with transit groups and others.

“The challenges the MTA faces do not arise out of arena use, which is the subject of the special permit,” Constable said. “They exist because the MTA would like to use land it does not own to construct its proposed improvements.”

He also criticized the agencies’ “master plan” for Penn Station. And he talked at length about the Garden’s status and impact in the Big Apple as reasons for a perpetuity permit.

Jamie Torres-Springer of the MTA countered that the plan for Penn “is advanced enough” that the authority can figure out “necessary improvements” to make MSG compatible with it. He did not call for MSG to be moved.

“What we’re saying is that MSG must work with us to take steps to address these constraints and meet the needs of transit users,” said Torres-Springer, president of MTA construction and development.

Most members of the public who testified advocated for the Garden to move entirely to make way for Penn’s revamp. City Planning Commission Chairman Dan Garodnick called the situation “tricky.”

“We hope that MSG and MTA will, in fact, get together to solve some of these complicated problems,” he said.

The next step in the permit process is a vote by the commission, though the final is with the City Council.