A new concept is preparing to make waves in Midtown. Helmed by lifelong New Yorker Rich Rosen, Hulk Hogan-themed bar Slam is slated to open at 416 Eighth Avenue this fall, with a target opening in late October.
Rosen was formerly planning on resurrecting the SCORES brand as a sports bar in the space. He initially brought Hulk Hogan in to assist with that brand, but they pivoted as Rosen developed a vision for Hulk Hogan’s Slam Sports Bar.
“He’s just such an iconic figure that Scores was becoming a confusion and distraction from him,” Rosen told What Now New York. “We came up with the name Slam, and that’s how we got the concept going.”
The 9,000-square-foot space will become a three-level sports bar and entertainment center with windows looking out onto Madison Square Garden. Slam will feature a rooftop element that will open a few months after Slam opens its doors. For Rosen, the views of Madison Square Garden set the location apart from other venues.
“When you get upstairs and look out the windows, the liveliness and the action of Madison Square Garden pours right into our location,” Rosen said. “It’s what took me into leasing this location.”
The menu, which Rosen expects to announce soon, will feature items that allow them to take advantage of the huge rush that spots near Madison Square Garden receive around shows and games.
“It will cater to quicker dishes,” Rosen said. “It will be much heavier on the appetizers and even though it will have pasta, steak and possibly sushi, it will be a menu that doesn’t take forever to come out.”
He is in negotiations with two New York-based Michelin-star chefs to cultivate the culinary offerings.
Slam will be a tribute to Hogan and his career as a wrestler, featuring memorabilia and showcasing old matches of Hogan’s at Madison Square Garden. The spot will sell Hulk Hogan merchandise and sports items, and there will be plenty of athlete- and celebrity-focused events, including live podcasts.
Rosen is pulling in design firm ICRAVE — known for Las Vegas’s The Sphere — to work on the design for Slam.
Especially with its proximity to Madison Square Garden, Rosen feels that Hogan is the ideal face of the brand. Hogan’s history with the Garden goes back to 1979, when it was the site of one of his first WWE matches. He has also participated in other events, including Wrestlemania, at the famous venue. Rosen witnessed this deep connection when Hogan came to the future Slam location.
“He stopped in front of the doors, and you could see it in his eyes the love he has for that arena and the memories it brings back to him,” Rosen said. “Hulk’s been through a lot in his lifetime and he’s put his heart and soul into that arena.”
Ultimately, Rosen and his team have much larger aspirations for the brand. This location will act as the flagship for what Rosen envisions as a national brand. He has worked in franchising for more than two decades and has worked with a lot of flagships, but he views Slam as the most exciting concept he has worked with. He thinks the spot next to Madison Square Garden will be the “shot in the arm” that the New York nightlife scene needs right now.
“It’s a really special location,” Rosen said. “It’s an unbelievable site for a flagship of any sports-related venue, and it’s a great place to launch a sports bar, especially if you have aspirations of being a national brand, which we surely do. We really believe with [Hulk] spearheading the brand that it certainly will because he has so many fans.”
Because Hogan is such a recognizable figure and has fans across the country and beyond, Rosen sees the venue on Eighth Avenue appealing to fans from all over — not just Knicks and Rangers fans.
Eventually, Rosen sees Hulk Hogan’s Slam Sports Bar heading to major markets like Las Vegas, Miami and major sports cities across the U.S. He sees potential for franchising in major shopping areas across the country, as well.
“If I have my way, these locations will be high-profile, prolific locations centered around stadiums and arenas in North America,” Rosen said. “And the first one is opening in front of the world’s most famous arena.”
