President Trump interested in moving Madison Square Garden
President Trump is intrigued by the long-running idea to return Penn Station to its former architectural glory and move Madison Square Garden across 7th Avenue, according to Gothamist.
A plan to rebuild New York City’s Penn Station and relocate Madison Square Garden has reportedly piqued the interest of the president, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Sources told Gothamist that the president seemed interested in giving the green light to the massive undertaking if the arena’s billionaire owner, James Dolan, was willing to move forward. … For years, Dolan has publicly refused to relocate the Garden. Despite this, Trump hasn’t nixed the idea, the insiders added.
The Trump Administration took control of rebuilding Penn Station from the MTA last year and handed it over to Amtrak and the Transportation Department. There are three proposals vying for the multi-billion project. The Grand Penn Community Alliance’s plan is the only one that calls for MSG to be moved.
The concept is not new. Many city leaders have advocated for moving MSG in order to rebuild Penn Station while Dolan has adamantly opposed relocation. But the stage was set for a full-fledged showdown on the matter in 2023 when City Council only renewed the Knicks and Rangers owner’s operations permit for five years. And now Trump has waded into the situation.
The president and Dolan have a well-established friendship. Dolan has been a political donor and is reportedly a member of Mar-a-Lago. Trump also held a controversial campaign rally at MSG in 2024. But Trump is also likely thinking legacy if he can say he made the final decision to rebuild Penn Station into the marvel it was before MSG was dropped on top of it in the 1960s and set it on its path to becoming a complete shitshow. There is also the whole matter of the billions of dollars it would take to build a new MSG on top of the Penn Station overhaul.
Look, MSG is hallowed ground. But the current building is the fourth MSG and the arena has already been moved several times. And old Penn Station was hallowed ground too. The new MSG will still be special. Move it to make Penn Station special again too. Back after this.
James Kratch is a veteran sports reporter and editor. He currently reports on the youth sports industry for Buying Sandlot and was previously ESNY's managing editor. Before that he spent a decade at NJ Advance Media (The Star-Ledger and NJ.com), where he covered high school sports, the Giants and Rutgers.
