Penn Station redevelopment in New York may hinge on Madison Square Garden and Trump's input

Multiple proposals to redevelop Penn Station are under review, including a Grand Penn plan that would relocate Madison Square Garden to make way for a new grand train hall; President Trump has said he prefers keeping Madison Square Garden in place.

Several redevelopment proposals for Penn Station are currently under review by federal authorities. One plan, backed by the Grand Penn Alliance, would move Madison Square Garden to a nearby vacant block and build a large new train hall modeled on the former historic station. President Trump has expressed a preference for a more modest proposal that would keep Madison Square Garden in its current location and add an improved entrance on Eighth Avenue. Bidders are under a gag order from Amtrak while deliberations continue. Key details: - Multiple proposals have been submitted to the federal Transportation Department for Penn Station redevelopment, and at least three plans are known to be competing. - The Grand Penn Alliance plan proposes relocating Madison Square Garden and constructing a grand train hall with reconfigured platforms to improve passenger flow. - President Trump told the author he prefers a plan that keeps Madison Square Garden in place and would replace an attached theater with a new Eighth Avenue entrance; he also said naming the project "Trump Station" was proposed by others. - Owners and developers tied to the site, including Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan and landowner Steven Roth, did not provide comment in the article; a supporter of the grand plan said the new arena could operate before the old one is demolished. - The article reports the grand plan would likely cost more than the $6–8 billion estimated for more modest proposals, and supporters say the larger plan would more fully replace the demolished 1964 landmark. Summary: The central issue is a choice between a larger, costlier redevelopment that would relocate Madison Square Garden and recreate a grand train hall, and a more modest plan that would retain the arena and modify the station entrance. A final decision is reported to be expected next month.