The short answer: maybe.
City officials confirmed to the BBC that someone applied for a street closure permit near the arena over the 4 July Independence Day weekend.
Dora Pekec, a spokesperson for the New York City mayor’s office, told the BBC a permit was filed in early June to close roads around arena from 2 to 4 July.
The New York Times (NYT) first reported the news and that several players on Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs American football team had booked hotel rooms nearby.
Before the NYT reported confirmation of a permit at the arena, TMZ and other tabloids had been speculating that Madison Square Garden, a 22,000-seat arena that is typically used for large concerts and home to the New York Knicks basketball team, would host wedding celebrations.
The NYT has not explicitly said the arena event is a wedding, but that it is a celebration that could be related to the couple’s nuptials.
During a news conference on Wednesday, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted the department was staffing an event at the arena later this week.
She said police have a detail in place, but did not disclose specifics. When asked about a previous terror plot surrounding one of Swift’s concerts in Europe, Tisch said that the NYPD’s intelligence and counterterrorism divisions had examined this event like they do all major events in the city.
“We will make sure that we have the appropriate resources based on their assessments for that specific private event as we do for all major events,” she said.
The BBC’s US media partner, CBS News, reported on Tuesday that the couple are planning a rehearsal dinner for about 100 people at the arena’s Infosys Theater.
A second, larger celebration has reportedly been set for Friday night into Saturday morning that could accommodate about 1,000 people.
The event will feature musical talent and a massive set is being constructed inside the arena for the event, CBS reported on Wednesday.
Crews have been spotted unloading foliage and boxes labelled “branches” into the arena, along with boxes of food – including one with lobster.
