The application \u2014 for a \u201cSpecial Event at MSG\u201d \u2014 was approved Wednesday night by New York City\u2019s permitting office, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani.<\/p>\n
The permit shows 100 guests will begin arriving at Madison Square Garden at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday for a \u201cpre party celebration,\u201d which officials described as an intimate rehearsal dinner. Thursday evening, black sport utility vehicles were seen driving into a tented area, shielding views of who was going into MSG.<\/p>\n
A full street closure will then go into effect overnight, allowing crews to erect a \u201cdrive through tent\u201d next to a separate \u201centrance tent,\u201d according to the permit.<\/p>\n
The \u201cmain event\u201d will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, per the application, with the option to continue until 4 a.m. the next morning. That party can host up to 1,000 people, records show.<\/p>\n
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A black vehicle enters Madison Square Garden ahead of a reported wedding between Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/Ryan Murphy)\n<\/p>\n
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A worker holds \u201cNo Parking\u201d signs prior to posting as trucks fill the loading dock outside New York\u2019s Madison Square Garden, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Richard Drew)\n<\/p>\n
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A worker unloads portable air-conditioning units outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of a reported wedding between singer Taylor Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/Ryan Murphy)\n<\/p>\n
![\"K-9\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.courant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26183707447418.jpg?w=620\")
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K-9\u2019s walk into Madison Square Garden ahead of a reported wedding between Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/Ryan Murphy)\n<\/p>\n
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A black vehicle enters Madison Square Garden ahead of a reported wedding between Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/Ryan Murphy)\n<\/p>\n
Expand<\/a><\/p>\n Beginning on Friday afternoon, several blocks surrounding the arena will be off-limits to vehicles and partially closed to pedestrians, according to information shared by police on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n Access to Penn Station \u2014 the busiest rail hub in the U.S., sitting directly below the arena \u2014 will be heavily restricted, with transit users urged to use a separate entrance further from the venue.<\/p>\n The approval of the permit comes as city officials and Swift\u2019s representatives have continued to stay silent about the festivities \u2014 angering some business owners and residents, who have called for more transparency around a private event that will soak up public resources.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the NYPD did not respond to a question Thursday about the purpose of the street closures.<\/p>\n Behind the scenes, emails obtained by the AP show city officials have been aware of the wedding \u2014 and its impact on city streets \u2014 for nearly a month.<\/p>\n On June 8, the director of the city\u2019s street permitting office, Dawn Tolson, emailed several City Hall staffers to discuss a permit application \u201cin association with the T&T wedding,\u201d an apparent reference to Taylor and Travis.<\/p>\n The application included a request for \u201cfull street closures\u201d on July 3 and 4, under the subject line: \u201cWedding Bells Are Ringing.\u201d<\/p>\n Mamdani, who previously said the city would have to\u00a0cut back on large scale events<\/a>\u00a0this summer due to the\u00a0demands posed by the World Cup and America250 festivities<\/a>, has declined to discuss the city\u2019s role in the wedding event.<\/p>\n \u201cThe NYPD will of course have a detail in place, but I\u2019m not going to go into more specifics at this time,\u201d New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Michael O\u2019Brien, who co-owns O\u2019Briens Bar and Grill across from the arena, said the city should do more to publicize the impact on local businesses \u2014 and that the newlyweds-to-be should foot the bill for any lost revenue.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is, in my opinion, ridiculous,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. \u201cIf they can afford to buy the permits, they can afford this big lavish ceremony, why don\u2019t they just buy out the local businesses instead of having us adversely affected?\u201d<\/p>\n But others seemed unbothered by the secrecy and precautions around the much-anticipated nuptials.<\/p>\n