THE ISSUE: The City Council’s coming vote on extending Madison Square Garden’s permission to keep operating above Penn Station.

Your recent editorial, “A Short Renewal for the Garden” (Aug. 28) could not have been more shortsighted.

Denying the special permit in perpetuity will just further contribute to the erosion of the city – that’s true now and will be true five years from now. Imagine Manhattan without the Knicks, Rangers, concerts, conventions, etc.

Like a good chess player, you should look more than one move ahead.

For instance, Madison Square Garden’s tax abatement was granted in 1982 to Gulf and Western to ensure that the Knicks and Rangers stayed in New York. If our tax abatement was revoked, it would only serve to increase ticket prices by at least $12 a seat or more.

And if the special permit isn’t granted, that would limit MSG to 2,500 seats and virtually eliminate concerts and convention. Guess how much those seats would be then.

Securing MSG’s future is not a hindrance to the future of Penn Station and the surrounding area. It is a prerequisite.

Calling for this same special permit process to be repeated in just a few short years will only facilitate unnecessary delays and jeopardize any real progress on improving Penn Station.

Should the state ultimately condemn Madison Square Garden, it will result in a payment to us of more than $4 billion dollars.

The Garden is a key part of the governor’s, mayor’s and rail agencies’ shared long-term vision for Penn Station.

Anything less than a long-term permit is misguided and comes at a detriment to the true progress that New Yorkers deserve.

Rich Constable, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Government Affairs and Social Impact, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp, Manhattan