There have been four major Madison Square Gardens in New York City. The first opened in 1879 beside Madison Square Park, the second replaced it on the same site in 1890, the third opened on Eighth Avenue at 49th and 50th Streets in 1925, and the current Madison Square Garden opened above Pennsylvania Station on February 11, 1968. The arena still carries the Madison Square Garden name even though it has not stood near Madison Square for more than a century because the name became one of the most famous brands in sports and entertainment.
There are very few venues that can honestly claim a history as rich as New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The current Garden stands between Seventh and Eighth avenues and West 31st and 33rd streets, directly above Pennsylvania Station. It is home to the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, but the story of Madison Square Garden began far downtown and decades before either team existed.
Feature Photo: Brian Kachejian 2022
Why Is It Called Madison Square Garden?
Madison Square Garden is named for Madison Square, the Manhattan public square at the intersection of Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and 23rd Street. Madison Square itself was named in honor of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States.
The first two Madison Square Gardens stood just north of the park at Madison Avenue and East 26th Street. When the Garden moved to Eighth Avenue in 1925, the owners kept the famous name. The same thing happened when the arena moved again in 1968. By then, “Madison Square Garden” had become much more than an address. It was an internationally recognized name associated with boxing, hockey, basketball, concerts, circuses, political events, and New York City itself.
How Many Madison Square Gardens Have There Been?
There have been four principal indoor arenas known as Madison Square Garden:
Madison Square Garden I: 1879 to 1890, Madison Avenue and East 26th Street.
Madison Square Garden II: 1890 to 1925, on the same Madison Avenue site.
Madison Square Garden III: 1925 to 1968, Eighth Avenue between West 49th and 50th Streets.
Madison Square Garden IV: 1968 to the present, above Penn Station between Seventh and Eighth avenues and West 31st and 33rd streets.
Each building reflected a different era of New York. The first grew out of nineteenth-century spectacle and exhibitions. The second was an architectural showpiece. The third became one of the great boxing and hockey arenas in the world. The fourth turned Madison Square Garden into a modern sports and concert institution.
The First Madison Square Garden: 1879 to 1890
The site of the first Garden had already been used for entertainment before the Madison Square Garden name appeared. P.T. Barnum transformed a former railroad property at Madison Avenue and East 26th Street into the Great Roman Hippodrome in 1874. Patrick Gilmore later operated the building as Gilmore’s Garden.
William Kissam Vanderbilt took control of the property and renamed it Madison Square Garden in 1879. The first Garden officially opened under that name on May 31, 1879.
The building hosted sporting events, concerts, exhibitions, bicycle racing, horse shows, and other large public spectacles. The Westminster Kennel Club’s relationship with the site actually began before the Madison Square Garden name itself. The club held its first dog show there in 1877, when the building was still known as Gilmore’s Garden.
The first Garden was functional but never an architectural masterpiece. It was uncomfortable in extreme weather and increasingly outdated. By 1890, it was replaced by a far more ambitious building on the same site.
The Second Madison Square Garden: Stanford White’s Palace
The second Madison Square Garden opened in 1890 and was designed by Stanford White of the celebrated architectural firm McKim, Mead & White. It was one of the most dramatic entertainment buildings of Gilded Age New York.
The complex included a large arena, theater, concert hall, restaurants, exhibition spaces, and a rooftop garden. A soaring tower modeled partly on the Giralda in Seville rose above Madison Square and was crowned by Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ gilded statue of Diana.
The building hosted everything from horse shows and bicycle races to boxing, political gatherings, theatrical productions, and early experiments with new technology. In 1898, Nikola Tesla famously demonstrated a radio-controlled boat at Madison Square Garden, astonishing audiences with technology that seemed almost magical at the time.
The building also became the setting for one of the most sensational crimes of the era. On June 25, 1906, architect Stanford White was shot and killed in the rooftop theater by Harry K. Thaw over White’s past relationship with actress Evelyn Nesbit. The resulting murder trial became one of the most heavily covered court cases of the early twentieth century.
Despite its beauty, the second Garden struggled financially. The New York Life Insurance Company ultimately acquired the property. The building was demolished in 1925, and the Cass Gilbert-designed New York Life Building later rose on the site.
The Third Madison Square Garden: The House That Tex Built
Madison Square Garden moved away from Madison Square in 1925. Boxing promoter Tex Rickard built the third Garden on Eighth Avenue between West 49th and 50th Streets. Architect Thomas W. Lamb designed the arena, which was constructed in only 249 days and became known as “The House That Tex Built.”
The third Garden lacked the architectural splendor of Stanford White’s building, but it became one of the most important sports arenas in the United States. Boxing was at the center of its identity, and generations of fighters dreamed of appearing in the Garden ring.
The New York Americans began playing National Hockey League games there in 1925. The New York Rangers, created by Tex Rickard, followed in 1926 and quickly became one of the league’s marquee teams.
Photo: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com
The New York Knicks were founded in 1946 and also made the third Garden their home. Basketball, hockey, boxing, professional wrestling, track events, the circus, dog shows, political rallies, and concerts turned the building into one of the busiest gathering places in Manhattan.
The famous Rangers “Curse of 1940” grew out of folklore surrounding this era. One version claimed that Rangers management burned the Garden’s mortgage papers in the Stanley Cup after winning the championship in 1940, while another connected the supposed curse to the demise of the rival New York Americans. The Rangers did not win another Stanley Cup until 1994, but the curse remains sports mythology rather than historical cause and effect.
Marilyn Monroe Sings Happy Birthday to President Kennedy
One of the most famous entertainment moments in the third Garden took place on May 19, 1962. During a massive Democratic Party birthday celebration for President John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe stepped onto the stage and delivered her now legendary performance of “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”
The moment became inseparable from the mythology surrounding both Monroe and Kennedy, and it remains one of the most widely remembered events ever held at Madison Square Garden.
By the 1960s, however, the third Garden was aging. Plans were already underway for an entirely new arena farther downtown.
What Was on the Current Madison Square Garden Site Before the Arena?
The current Madison Square Garden stands on the site of the original above-ground Pennsylvania Station complex.
The original Penn Station, designed by McKim, Mead & White and opened in 1910, was one of New York City’s great Beaux-Arts landmarks. By the early 1960s, the financially struggling Pennsylvania Railroad agreed to redevelopment plans that allowed the above-ground station building to be demolished while rail operations continued below street level.
Demolition began in 1963. The destruction caused an enormous preservation outcry and became one of the defining events of New York’s historic-preservation movement. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission was established in 1965, during the period when the loss of Penn Station was still fresh in the public mind.
The new Madison Square Garden and the office complex around it were constructed above the rebuilt underground station. That decision created the relationship between Penn Station and the Garden that continues to generate debate today.
When Did the Current Madison Square Garden Open?
The current Madison Square Garden opened on February 11, 1968, with a salute to the United Service Organizations hosted by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
The building was designed by architect Charles Luckman. Its round shape and cable-supported roof were major engineering achievements for the period. Building such a large arena above an active railroad station and rail infrastructure made the project especially complicated.
On the same day the new Garden opened, the Rangers played their final game at the third Madison Square Garden, a 3-3 tie against the Detroit Red Wings. The old arena remained open briefly for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show before closing for good. It was demolished later in 1968, and the Worldwide Plaza complex eventually rose on its site.
The Knicks and Rangers Make the Fourth Garden Their Home
The current Garden became home to both the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers.
The Knicks won NBA championships in 1970 and 1973, turning the Garden into the center of New York basketball during one of the franchise’s greatest eras. The Rangers finally ended their fifty-four-year Stanley Cup drought in 1994, creating one of the loudest and most emotional celebrations the arena has ever witnessed.
The Garden has also been a major home for college basketball, especially the annual Big East Tournament and generations of high-profile college games.
How Many People Does Madison Square Garden Hold?
Madison Square Garden’s capacity changes depending on how the arena is configured. The Garden’s current venue-rental information lists a general arena capacity of approximately 19,500 people before production-related seating changes.
Basketball, hockey, boxing, wrestling, and concerts each use the floor and seating bowl differently, so published capacity figures can vary from event to event.
Who Owns Madison Square Garden Today?
Madison Square Garden itself is owned by Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp., commonly called MSG Entertainment. The company owns the Garden as well as other entertainment assets and venues.
The Knicks and Rangers are owned separately by Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. Both public companies are led by James L. Dolan, who serves as executive chairman and chief executive officer of MSG Entertainment and MSG Sports.
This corporate separation is important. The company that owns the arena is not technically the same public company that owns the Knicks and Rangers, even though the businesses remain closely connected and share Dolan family leadership.
Madison Square Garden’s Property Tax Exemption
Madison Square Garden has received a full New York City real-property-tax exemption since the early 1980s under state law. The exemption is conditioned on the Garden continuing to serve as the home venue for major-league professional basketball and hockey teams.
The exemption remains controversial because of its value. New York City’s fiscal-year 2026 tax-expenditure report estimated the annual cost of the Madison Square Garden exemption at approximately $43.3 million.
Critics have repeatedly called for the exemption to be eliminated, while the Garden has continued to operate under the state law that authorizes it.
The Garden’s $1 Billion Transformation
The current Garden has undergone several major renovations. One substantial renovation was completed in 1991, adding suites and modernizing many parts of the arena.
The most dramatic overhaul began in 2011 and was completed in October 2013. The approximately $1 billion transformation was carried out in phases during the offseasons so the Knicks and Rangers could continue playing at the Garden.
The project rebuilt concourses, seating, locker rooms, hospitality areas, food-service spaces, video systems, entrances, and backstage facilities. One of its most recognizable additions was the pair of Chase Bridges suspended above the upper seating bowl, giving spectators a view down toward the playing surface.
The renovation allowed a building opened in 1968 to remain competitive with much newer arenas.
Madison Square Garden and Penn Station
The relationship between Madison Square Garden and Penn Station remains one of the most complicated planning issues in Midtown Manhattan.
The arena sits directly above one of the busiest transportation hubs in the United States. Supporters of moving Madison Square Garden have argued that relocating the arena could allow a more ambitious reconstruction of Penn Station and the surrounding blocks. MSG has consistently defended remaining at its longtime location.
In 2013, New York City granted the Garden a ten-year special permit to continue operating at the site. When that permit expired in 2023, MSG sought permission to operate there permanently. The New York City Council instead approved a limited five-year extension.
That means the Garden’s land-use permission is again expected to require action in 2028. As of 2026, there is no completed agreement requiring Madison Square Garden to relocate, and the future relationship between the arena and a reconstructed Penn Station remains unresolved.
Madison Square Garden and the Fight of the Century
Boxing was central to the Garden long before the current building opened, and that tradition continued at the fourth Garden.
On March 8, 1971, undefeated heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met at Madison Square Garden in what became known as the “Fight of the Century.” The original version of this article incorrectly placed the first Ali-Frazier fight in 1974. The historic first bout took place in 1971.
Frazier won by unanimous decision after fifteen rounds. The fight became one of the defining sporting events of the twentieth century and strengthened Madison Square Garden’s reputation as the home of championship boxing.
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Professional Wrestling at Madison Square Garden
Professional wrestling has an equally deep relationship with Madison Square Garden. For decades, the arena was one of the most important venues in the territory that eventually became World Wrestling Entertainment.
The first WrestleMania took place at Madison Square Garden on March 31, 1985. The main event featured Hulk Hogan and Mr. T against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. The event became the foundation for what grew into WWE’s biggest annual production.
WrestleMania X returned to the Garden in 1994, and WrestleMania XX followed in 2004. SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble events, and countless other wrestling cards have also been staged inside the building.
Madison Square Garden’s Concert History
For musicians, playing Madison Square Garden has long represented a career milestone. The arena’s location, history, and New York audience have made it one of the most desirable concert stages in the world.
Elvis Presley performed four sold-out concerts at the Garden in June 1972. Led Zeppelin played three famous nights there in July 1973, with footage used in The Song Remains the Same.
Editor’s Note: I saw Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden in 1977. It was the most spectacular concert I have ever seen.
Photo: Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com
On November 28, 1974, John Lennon appeared with Elton John at Madison Square Garden. It became Lennon’s final public concert performance before his death in 1980.
The list of artists who have played the Garden includes the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, The Who, Kiss, U2, Madonna, the Grateful Dead, Phish, the Allman Brothers Band, the Police, and countless others.
Billy Joel and Phish Build Their Own Garden Records
No musician has been identified with the current Garden quite like Billy Joel. In 2014, he began a monthly residency that eventually became one of the most successful concert residencies in arena history.
The residency concluded in July 2024 with Joel’s 150th lifetime performance at Madison Square Garden.
Phish has developed a remarkable Garden history of its own. After debuting at MSG in 1994, the band repeatedly returned for New Year’s runs and extended engagements, including the famous thirteen-show Baker’s Dozen residency in 2017. By July 2026, Phish had reached 96 performances at the Garden.
Political Conventions, Awards Shows, and Cultural Events
Madison Square Garden has always been more than a sports arena. The current building hosted Democratic National Conventions in 1976, 1980, and 1992 and the Republican National Convention in 2004.
The Grammy Awards have also been staged at the Garden, including ceremonies in 1972, 1997, 2003, and 2018. Major boxing cards, mixed martial arts, comedy, family entertainment, college graduations, religious gatherings, and charitable events have filled the calendar between Knicks and Rangers games.
That variety explains why Madison Square Garden markets itself as “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” Few buildings have hosted such a wide range of events for so many generations.
Is Madison Square Garden the Oldest NBA Arena?
Yes. The current Madison Square Garden opened in 1968 and is the oldest arena still used by its original NBA tenant. The Knicks have played there since the building opened.
The arena’s age is somewhat deceptive because the interior was extensively rebuilt during the 2011-2013 transformation. Structurally, however, it remains the same fourth Madison Square Garden that opened in February 1968.
The Future of Madison Square Garden
The future of Madison Square Garden has been debated for decades. Proposals have periodically suggested moving the arena to another location so Penn Station could be completely redesigned, while MSG has invested heavily in its current building and has shown no intention of voluntarily abandoning it.
The five-year special permit approved in 2023 means the debate will return before or around 2028 unless a broader agreement is reached first.
For now, Madison Square Garden remains exactly where it has been since 1968. The Knicks and Rangers continue to play there, major concerts continue to sell it out, and thousands of passengers move through Penn Station directly beneath it every day.
The Madison Square Garden Legacy
Madison Square Garden is not one building. It is a New York institution that has survived by moving, rebuilding, and changing with the city around it.
The first Garden grew out of a nineteenth-century railroad and entertainment site. Stanford White turned the second into an architectural spectacle. Tex Rickard made the third Garden one of the world’s great boxing arenas. The current building became the home of the Knicks and Rangers and one of the most celebrated concert venues on earth.
I have been inside Madison Square Garden for sporting events and concerts, and there is still something different about walking into that building. The history is always there. You can feel the generations of athletes, musicians, performers, and fans who passed through before you.
Photo: Brian Kachejian 2020
More Madison Square Garden and New York Sports History
Readers interested in the teams, arena, and transportation history connected to Madison Square Garden can continue with our complete history of the New York Knicks, our complete history of the New York Rangers, our personal story about the night I sat courtside at Madison Square Garden, and our history of Pennsylvania Station.
Sources
Madison Square Garden, Facts & History
New York Public Library, Views from the Digital Collections: Madison Square Garden
New York City Council, Madison Square Garden Special Permit
New York City Department of Finance, Tax Expenditure Report 2026
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp., SEC Filing
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Madison Square Garden Birthday Salute, May 19, 1962
Jackson, Kenneth T. The Encyclopedia of New York City. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2011.
Haskell, David. The Encyclopedia of New York. New York: Avid Reader Press, 2020.
Madison Square Garden History at a Glance
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1879 | The first Madison Square Garden opens at Madison Avenue and East 26th Street |
| 1890 | Stanford White’s second Madison Square Garden opens on the same site |
| 1906 | Stanford White is murdered in the rooftop theater of the second Garden |
| 1925 | Tex Rickard’s third Madison Square Garden opens on Eighth Avenue between West 49th and 50th Streets |
| 1926 | The New York Rangers begin playing at the third Garden |
| 1946 | The New York Knicks begin play and make the Garden their home |
| 1962 | Marilyn Monroe sings “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” for John F. Kennedy |
| 1963 | Demolition of the original above-ground Penn Station begins for redevelopment of the site |
| 1968 | The current Madison Square Garden opens above Penn Station on February 11 |
| 1971 | Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fight the “Fight of the Century” on March 8 |
| 1985 | The first WrestleMania is held at Madison Square Garden |
| 1994 | The Rangers win the Stanley Cup, ending a fifty-four-year championship drought |
| 2013 | The Garden completes a roughly $1 billion, three-year transformation |
| 2023 | New York City grants MSG a limited five-year extension of its special operating permit |
| 2024 | Billy Joel concludes his historic residency with his 150th lifetime Garden performance |
| 2026 | Madison Square Garden remains home to the Knicks and Rangers as the Penn Station and 2028 permit debate continues |
History of Madison Square Garden: Four Arenas and the Story Behind the Name article published on ClassicNewYorkHistory.com © 2026
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