The first round of renovations to historic Madison Square Garden is completed, with fans enjoying new seating, expanded concourses and a new ice-level executive club.
The renovations forced the New York Rangers on the road for the first three weeks of the season; it was only this week that the team hosted their home opener, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. By all accounts almost everything went well, though the most dramatic changes to the facility — like catwalks over the center of the arena — will not come until later. The $850-million upgrade is expected to be finished for the 2013-2014 NHL/NBA seasons.
One thing that apparently was not upgraded: the ice. Players from both teams remarked that the ice was pretty mushy. That’s not necessarily unusual for early in the year, and a Duran Duran (!) concert the night before didn’t help.
RELATED STORIES: Preview: Madison Square Garden renovations
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