June 03, 2009

MSG reno pushed back to 2012

Cablevision rebooted its $500 million renovation plans for Madison Square Garden today, saying they'll now be completed by summer 2012, instead of summer 2011 as was announced last year. Of course, given that the renovations were originally supposed to start this summer and the New York Liberty have their season opener at MSG this Sunday, this shouldn't come as any surprise; in fact, given that the MSG reno needs to happen entirely during the summers to avoid inconveniencing the Knicks and Rangers, 2012 might be ambitious as well. If and when it happens, the reno job would add floor-level suites (suiteholders would have to emerge into regular seats to actually see the game) and expanded concessions areas, accomplished by both moving current team offices to adjacent buildings and moving the upper part of the seating bowl forward.

Still no details, meanwhile, about how the renovation would be financed, though MSG exec Hank Ratner promised it would involve no public money, quipping, "We all know how anomalous that is today." Except, presumably, for the tax break that won't die.