Hulk Hogan is opening a huge, 9000 sq/ft, $7 million bar opposite his spiritual home, Madison Square Garden, Page Six has learned.
Anyone who knows anything about WWE wrestling knows that the Garden is central to the Hogan myth: he made his WWE debut there in 1979, won his first WWE Championship there by defeating the Iron Sheik in 1984, he headlined Wrestlemania I there in 1985 and he tag-teamed with the Ultimate Warrior there at the Summer Slam of 1991, beating Sgt. Slaught, General Adnan and Colonel Mustafa, as well as many other career highlights.
Now we’re told the ring legend is opening the sports bar, to be called Slam, which will have a wall of windows facing the famed arena.
We’re told the spot — which is owned by New York nightlife vet Rich Rosen — will be filled with Hogan memorabilia and will have screens playing the 12-time World Champion’s greatest moments.
It’ll also serve Hogan’s own beer brand, Real American Beer, and we’re told Hogan — who lives in Florida — will be a regular fixture at the Midtown spot.
Slam is being decked out to look like the inside of the famed arena, complete with a Jumbotron.
Rosen told Page Six that after he found the venue at 461 8th Avenue on the corner of 31st Street, he sought out the wrestler because of his long and stories connection the Garden.
He went so far as to attend a autograph signing event just to pitch the idea to the Hulkster.
“I basically waited 5 hours on line to get two seconds with Hulk Hogan,” Rosen told us, “I came with an 8″ by 11″ glossy picture of Madison Square Garden, and in the picture is our [storefront]… I walked up to Hulk, I dropped the picture in front of him.”
Rosen said that he pointed out the bar in picture and said to Hogan, “That’s my [storefront,] that’s the Garden, and you’re my new partner.”
He said that he handed the wrestling superstar his card, and Hogan called him four days later.
They plan to open the sports bar, which will have three floors including a rooftop bar, in the fall.
Rosen says that Hogan doesn’t have a direct ownership stake in the project, and that the deal is licensing pact that allows the bar to use his famous name.
The news comes as Business Insider reports that Hogan’s Real American Beer is in talks to buy the intellectual property for Hooter’s after the wings restaurant filed for bankruptcy.
Hogan already has a bar, Hogan’s Hangout, in Clearwater, Fla. But this would be his first New York venue.
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