The City Planning Department recommended Monday that Madison Square Garden get a new ten-year operating permit in exchange for improving the area around the world’s most famous stadium.
Madison Square Garden sought a permit to operate at its current location on top of Penn Station on a permanent basis.
The permit requires MSG to work with the MTA and rail agencies on the renovation of Penn Station.
We spoke to the public… Some are in favor of Madison Square Garden paying for the renovations.
“I think that they themselves, because they are the ones who are profiting, I do not think that it belongs to the city, it has an owner and has to pay,” said Iván Herrera.
Instead Morgan Thomas says that “they are not Penn Station, they are Madison Square Garden, why should the city charge them?”
Governor Kathy Hochul is the latest elected official to take up the effort to revamp Penn Station and the surrounding neighborhood, presenting the development of large new office towers as a way to pay for it.
But that plan fell through when a major developer backed out due to a weak commercial real estate market.
Governor Hochul is now seeking state and federal funds to pay for the construction. The MTA is leading renovations at Amtrak-owned Penn Station.
Some people believe that this is not an important topic at the moment….
“There are other more important things, that they take out that they remove Madison Square Garden whatever is a priority there are many bigger problems in New York than this,” said Jenny Badel.
And others think otherwise that it is an area that needs changes…
“It would be good because a lot of tourism comes here,” said Tobías Galeas.
An MSG Entertainment spokesperson said, “We appreciate the City Planning Commission’s recommendation and look forward to collaborating with all key stakeholders to improve Penn Station.”
City Planning commissioners will officially vote on the permit on Wednesday: The City Council has the final vote on the permit and could change its length. The mayor can veto it.
And in the population there are conflicting opinions but we will see what happens in terms of voting and also what is the position of the mayor regarding this.
2023-07-11 18:37:00
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