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Hulkamania is body-slamming its way into midtown.
This fall, a larger-than-life sports bar paying tribute to the late wrestling legend Hulk Hogan will open directly across from Madison Square Garden at 461 Eighth Ave. Dubbed Slam, the $7 million, 9,000-square-foot, three-story venue promises wings, wrestling and wall-to-wall memorabilia, plus a rooftop view fit for a heavyweight.
The project was already underway before Hogan’s sudden death on July 25 at age 71 and now its opening has taken on new meaning. Billed as a “living tribute,” Slam is the vision of nightlife vet Rich Rosen, who struck a licensing deal with Hogan earlier this year to bring the concept to life just steps from where Hogan’s WWE stardom exploded in the 1980s.
“Hulk wasn’t just a partner—he was a dear friend,” Rosen told Page Six. “He shaped the spirit of what Slam was meant to be, a place where fans from around the world could gather at the very corner where his legend began.”
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The bar is designed to be bold, brash and nostalgic, just like its muse. Expect looping reels of classic matches, Real American Beer (Hogan’s own brew) and ceiling architecture inspired by MSG itself. Rosen says the team is pressing forward with construction, intent on fulfilling Hogan’s vision.
The wrestler, born Terry Bollea, made one of his final public appearances at the under-construction bar on April 30, accompanied by a documentary crew. In life, Hogan remained an undeniably controversial figure—from his role in Gawker’s downfall to his recent alignment with Donald Trump—but to generations of wrestling fans, he was the ultimate showman.
Slam’s opening is part of the continuing transformation of the Penn Station area, which has recently welcomed new restaurants, pickleball courts and upscale hangouts. And while Rosen has raised concerns about potential plans to relocate Madison Square Garden, for now, the arena remains—and so will the tribute Hogan always dreamed of.
As Rosen puts it: “This is for Hulk, and for every person whose life was touched by the power of Hulkamania.”