(Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - Large crowds are expected around Madison Square Garden and Penn Station on Saturday as several major events overlap in Midtown.
What we know:
The NYPD will put a security plan in place Saturday, June 13, around Madison Square Garden and Penn Station.
Police said the area will be impacted by several overlapping events: Knicks Game 5, a Knicks watch party outside Madison Square Garden, World Cup travel and a 5 Seconds of Summer concert at MSG.
Tens of thousands of people are expected in the area, and officials are urging people to arrive early.
Security perimeter
Starting at 4 p.m., a security perimeter will be established around Madison Square Garden.
The perimeter will run from West 29th Street to West 35th Street, between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue.
Sixth and Eighth avenues will remain open to vehicles and pedestrians, but they are subject to closures.
Starting at 4 p.m., people will not be allowed inside the secure area unless they have a ticket to the concert at MSG, a train ticket, are going to a business inside the area, live in the area or have another authorized reason to be there.
Everyone entering the secure area will be screened.
Entry points
People with an authorized reason to enter the secure area can use one of four screening points:
- Sixth Avenue at West 33rd Street
- Sixth Avenue at West 32nd Street
- Eighth Avenue at West 33rd Street
- Eighth Avenue at West 30th Street
The NYPD said Sixth Avenue at West 32nd Street will be the only entry point for FIFA World Cup screening.
Knicks watch party
A 3,000-person ticketed Knicks watch party will be held outside Madison Square Garden for Game 5.
Fans must register and have an official ticket through Madison Square Garden. Anyone without an official ticket will not be allowed in.
Watch party attendees will be allowed to enter starting at 6:30 p.m. No one will be allowed entry after 8:30 p.m.
Watch party attendees can only enter through two dedicated screening locations:
- Sixth Avenue at West 33rd Street
- Sixth Avenue at West 32nd Street
Attendees will be placed in pens. Anyone who leaves their designated pen will not be allowed to reenter.
No bags are allowed at the watch party. Other restricted items include backpacks, alcohol, bottles and umbrellas.
Penn Station and World Cup travel
Trains will depart Penn Station for MetLife Stadium from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the World Cup game.
Anyone traveling by train will be screened by Amtrak Police.
World Cup travelers can only enter through one designated access point: Sixth Avenue at West 32nd Street.
Police said people returning to Penn Station by train after the game will not be allowed to remain in the frozen zone.
Starting at 8:30 p.m., anyone traveling through Penn Station must go to Moynihan Station or Grand Central. Additional LIRR trains will depart from Grand Central to help accommodate riders.
MSG concert
A 5 Seconds of Summer concert will be held at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
The concert begins at 8 p.m., and doors open at 6 p.m.
Everyone going to the concert will be screened and must show a ticket. Concertgoers can enter through any of the four access points.
Businesses inside the perimeter
Businesses inside the perimeter, including bars and restaurants between Sixth and Seventh avenues and between Seventh and Eighth avenues, will be allowed to operate with strict capacity limits.
Anyone going to a business inside the secure area will need to be screened at a security checkpoint.
What's next:
People heading to Midtown Saturday should arrive early, expect screenings and avoid bringing bags, backpacks, alcohol, bottles or umbrellas.
The Source: This article was written using information from the NYPD.