Trump Open To Moving Nyc’s Gigantic Madison Square Garden For Train Station Renovations: Report

As a existent property magnate, Donald Trump helped style New York City’s skyline done nan improvement of a number of skyscrapers. Now, arsenic president, he’s shown liking successful different bold project: relocating Madison Square Garden, 1 of nan city’s astir well-known landmarks.

He has listened to a proposal that would move nan famed arena — which seats up to 20,000 group — successful bid to rebuild Penn Station, according to Gothamist. The station, a sprawling Beaux‑Arts structure, was demolished successful nan 1960s to make room for nan stadium, but its underground concourses and platforms are still successful use, servicing much than half a cardinal regular riders.

A group of Trump supporters suggested nan scheme to nan president during a White House meeting successful September, aggregate sources told nan outlet. They represented nan Grand Penn Community Alliance, a non-profit statement backed by Thomas Klingenstein, a blimpish donor.

The audacious task — which has a value tag of astir $7.5 cardinal — would see erecting classical columns astatine nan train station’s entrance. Madison Square Garden would beryllium relocated to Seventh Avenue, 1 artifact over.

The Oval Office sit-down, which had not antecedently been reported, took spot 4 months earlier Amtrak named nan connection a finalist successful nan station's redevelopment plans. Two different finalists person been named, but fewer specifications astir nan task person since been revealed.

“The gathering and determination to move nan connection guardant awesome nan president is considering nan action to move nan storied arena,” sources acquainted pinch nan matter told Gothamist.

However, nan sources added that nan 79-year-old president knows nan scheme is dormant successful nan h2o without nan support of James Dolan, nan long-time proprietor of nan arena. Dolan, who besides owns nan New York Knicks, explicitly ruled retired relocating Madison Square Garden successful 2023.

For decades, defense groups person been campaigning to revive nan grandeur of nan long-lost Penn Station.

“It was 1 of nan top buildings we’ve had successful this country, and it’s astonishing that we decided to tear it down,” designer Richard Cameron told Gothamist. “People deliberation of it arsenic an architectural crime that we wouldn’t person figured retired nan worth of that building earlier destroying it is conscionable extraordinary.”

The Grand Penn Alliance besides sees their connection arsenic a measurement to toggle shape nan underground transit system, which is tangled and difficult to navigate.

But nan scheme is not without its detractors. Rep. Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat, told nan outlet that he has concerns astir really Amtrak is moving guardant pinch its action process.

“We don’t cognize really it’s going to beryllium financed … President Trump is progressive and possibly he’ll prime nan winning bidder. On what criteria? We don’t know,” Nadler said. “The full point is secret.”

“As a New York native, President Trump is personally invested successful revitalizing New York Penn Station,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said. “Any conception that nan president is putting his digit connected nan standard unfairly is wholly baseless.”

Klingenstein, nan able philanthropist down nan proposal, who gave upwards of $13 cardinal to Republicans successful 2024, has suggested renaming nan caller Penn Station to “Trump Station,” according to Gothamist.

“This is nan benignant of point that not only would Trump want to put his sanction connected it, but should put his sanction connected it,” he said. “If it comes to pass, it will beryllium an illustration of 1 man — because Trump is nan only 1 who tin make this hap — doing a awesome thing.”

The president has reportedly had nan aforesaid idea.

In February, he said he would unfreeze millions of dollars successful national funds for a $16 cardinal New York infrastructure task if Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, agreed to rename Penn Station, arsenic good arsenic Virginia's Dulles International Airport, aft him, according to reports.