MSG closed for asbestos

Tonight’s New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic matchup at Madison Square Garden has been cancelled due to asbestos concerns.

The Garden is shut down until further notice and a MSG spokesman said more information on its reopening will be available tomorrow.

The Garden is undergoing a major $775 million transformation and will be closed the next two to three summers.

A Knicks statement issued this afternoon stated, “Following last night’s Rangers game, during overnight maintenance of Madison Square Garden, which included cleaning asbestos-related materials in the attic above the ceiling, some debris fell into the Arena.”

The statement added, “Out of an abundance of caution, and after consulting the NBA, we are postponing tonight’s Knicks v. Magic game. We will be working with the city and independent experts, ATC Associates and GCI Environmental Advisory, to evaluate and determine the most appropriate course of action. As the safety of our customers and employees are our top priority, we will not reopen the Garden until we are absolutely assured the Arena is safe.”

An NBA statement said the Orlando game will be made up at a later date.

Ticketholders are advised to retain their tickets, and to go to nyknicks.com for rescheduling information.