Madison Square Garden
The fourth Madison Square Garden, atop Penn Station since 1968.
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, located between Seventh and Eighth avenues, extending from 31st to 33rd streets, atop Pennsylvania Station. The current site hosts the fourth venue to bear the name 'Madison Square Garden'; the first two, opened in 1879 and 1890, were situated in Madison Square, with the third Madison Square Garden (1925) farther uptown at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street. It is the oldest major sporting facility in the New York metropolitan area, the oldest arena in the NBA, and the second-oldest in the NHL, after Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena.
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- MSG / The Garden / The World's Most Famous Arena / The Mecca
- Address
- 4 Pennsylvania Plaza
- Location
- Midtown Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
- Groundbreaking
- October 29, 1964
- Opened
- 1879, 1890, 1925 / (former locations) · 1968-02-11 / (current location)
- Renovated
- 1989–1991 · 2011–2013
- Owner
- Madison Square Garden Entertainment
- Cost
- $123 million / ($ in US dollarsUS) · Renovation (1991): / $200 million / ($ in US dollarsUS) · Renovation (2011–2013): / $1 billion / ($ in US dollarsUS)
- Architect
- Charles Luckman Associates · Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects
- Structural Engineer
- Severud Associates
- Services Engineer
- Syska & Hennessy, Inc.
- General Contractor
- Turner/Del E. Webb
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The current Garden opened on February 11, 1968, on the site of the old Pennsylvania Station, whose above-ground portions were torn down to build the new facility. The structure was one of the first of its kind built above the platforms of an active railroad station, an engineering feat constructed by Robert E. McKee of El Paso, Texas with the contribution of Arq. Leonel Viera's design for the Cilindro Municipal. Public outcry over the demolition of the Beaux-Arts Pennsylvania Station led to the creation of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The arena is part of the Pennsylvania Plaza office and retail complex, named for the railway station.
Previous venues named Madison Square Garden included the original (1879–1890) and second (1890–1925) at Madison Square, and a third (1925–1968) at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street. The third Garden, built in 249 days by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, was dubbed 'The House That Tex Built' and notably hosted a 20,000-person rally in 1939 of the German American Bund. The current Garden has undergone two major renovations, in 1991 and 2013, and its total construction cost was approximately US$1.1 billion. In 1984, the four streets immediately surrounding the Garden were designated as Joe Louis Plaza, in honor of boxer Joe Louis.
Reader's Guide
Madison Square Garden is notable as the oldest major sporting facility in the New York metropolitan area and the oldest arena in the NBA, as well as the second-oldest in the NHL. It has been home to the New York Rangers and New York Knicks, and formerly the New York Liberty. The arena has hosted professional ice hockey, basketball, boxing, mixed martial arts, concerts, ice shows, circuses, professional wrestling, and other events. As of 2016, it was the second-busiest music arena in the world in terms of ticket sales. Its construction atop an active railroad station was an engineering feat, and the demolition of the original Pennsylvania Station to make way for the Garden spurred the creation of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The arena has enjoyed tax-free status since the 1980s under the condition that all Knicks and Rangers home games be hosted at MSG, with an act of God clause that allowed games to be played elsewhere during the 2020 NBA Bubble and 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Garden has been ranked as one of the ten most expensive arena venues ever built.
Did You Know?
- The current Madison Square Garden is the fourth venue to bear the name; the first two were located in Madison Square, and the third at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street.
- The third Madison Square Garden (1925–1968) was built in 249 days by boxing promoter Tex Rickard and was called 'The House That Tex Built'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly is Madison Square Garden located?
The arena sits in Midtown Manhattan, stretching between Seventh and Eighth Avenues from 31st to 33rd Streets. It is built directly on top of Pennsylvania Station.
When did the current Madison Square Garden open?
The fourth and present venue opened on February 11, 1968. It was originally called the Madison Square Garden Center before the word 'Center' was dropped from the name.
Which NHL team plays at Madison Square Garden?
The New York Rangers have called the Garden home since its 1968 opening. The arena also serves as the home court for the NBA's New York Knicks.
How many buildings have carried the Madison Square Garden name?
Four structures have used the name over more than a century. The first two stood in Madison Square (1879 and 1890), a third opened uptown at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street in 1925, and the current one above Penn Station is the fourth.
How much has been spent building and renovating Madison Square Garden?
Total investment, factoring in the major renovation projects completed in 1991 and 2013, reaches roughly US$1.1 billion. That cumulative spend makes it one of the costliest arena overhauls in North American professional sports.
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