Prior to Hulk Hogan’s untimely death Thursday morning at his Florida home, the wrestling superstar had given his blessing to a new Midtown sports bar bearing his name and likeness across the street from Madison Square Garden.
But the owners of the establishment are concerned that the federal redesign of Penn Station — under the leadership of Andy Byford, the former MTA NewYork City transit boss known as “Train Daddy” — could doom the Hogan-themed bar if the project results in the relocation of “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”
Hulk Hogan’s Slam Sports Bar, a $7 million, roughly 9,000-square-foot, multi-level venue at 461 8th Ave., aims to become the go-to pre- and post-game destination for Knicks, Rangers, concerts, and college hoops fans. It’s also staking its future on one thing: that the Garden stays where it is.
The new bar, owned by New York hospitality veteran Rich Rosen and backed by a licensing deal with the controversial WWE Hall of Famer, is set to launch just as federal officials weigh whether to move Madison Square Garden as part of a broader transformation of the transit hub beneath it.
“There was some hesitation,” Rosen told amNewYork, when asked whether the uncertain fate of MSG gave him pause before signing the lease. But he said he ultimately decided to move forward based on advice from real estate insiders who told him “not to worry at all.”
Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, was not an owner but licensed his name to the project. Rosen said the venue will feature Hogan memorabilia, watch parties, and “elevated” game-day food and cocktails.
The bar’s interior ceiling will be modeled after Madison Square Garden’s iconic roof, and its rooftop space is slated to open beyond the fall grand-opening. Hogan first won the then-WWF World Championship at the Garden in 1984, skyrocketing him to stardom and launching the “Hulkamania” wrestling phenomenon.
The Garden, home to major sports and entertainment events since 1968, hosted the first WrestleMania in 1985, when Hogan teamed up with Mr. T. It remains a key piece of Hogan’s wrestling legacy.
“To be on the corner of 8th and 31st, right across from Madison Square Garden — it doesn’t get any bigger, brother,” Hogan said in a statement issued days before his death. “I love New York and can’t wait to see the fans in Manhattan.”
Will Penn Station force MSG’s hand?
Whether Slam remains directly across from MSG remains to be seen. While some Penn Station redesign proposals include relocating the Garden, Byford hasn’t ruled out that option, saying this week that he’s listening to the visions of all stakeholders, including those advocating for moving the arena.
Byford, now working as a special advisor to Amtrak, has said the Federal Railroad Administration will conduct an independent review to determine whether station expansion would require MSG to move. He told City & State he has a good relationship with MSG owner James Dolan.
The Trump administration assumed control of the Penn Station redesign from the MTA in April, shelving the MTA’s multibillion-dollar renovation plans. The project is now being led by Amtrak, which owns the station. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said the shift will save taxpayers $120 million.
Rosen said the location was too iconic to pass up, and had hoped that powerful connections could help if plans to relocate the Garden gain traction. According to Rosen, Trump always takes Hogan’s calls, which “could be helpful.”
“He’s extremely close to Donald Trump, and they’re good friends,” Rosen said of Hogan. “It’s not political, but they are close friends.”
Trump’s own ties to pro wrestling are long-standing. He sponsored WWE’s WrestleMania in consecutive years in Atlantic City in the late 1980s, and appeared in a storyline brawl, ‘Battle of the Billionaires,‘ with WWE chairman Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 23. In 2013, Trump was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
McMahon and his wife, Linda, emerged as major financial backers of Donald Trump’s political career. Linda was previously appointed as Trump’s first head of the Small Business Administration and currently serves as his Secretary of Education.
More recently, Hogan appeared on stage with Trump during the final night of the Republican National Convention, where he spoke in support of Trump’s presidential bid, tearing off his suit to reveal a “Trump-Vance” tank top. Hogan also appeared at an October 2024 pro-Trump rally at MSG days before the election.
Trump, who famously does not drink alcohol, later promoted Hogan’s Real American Beer brand, which will be on tap at Slam, on his Truth Social platform.
Hogan never responded to a request for comment on his relationship with President Trump before this article was published Thursday morning, shortly before Hogan’s death was announced.
