The residents of New York have seemingly opposed the West 30th Street Heliport in Hudson River Park for decades. Now, Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James is using it for regular transport between the two cities.
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The helicopter ordeal has already made headlines a number of times thanks to Pablo Torre. Now, there’s another layer to the situation. The Fanatics-branded Leonardo AW139 helicopter uses a heliport that has been a point of contention thanks to the environmental and safety concerns it creates for the locals.
The board described the constant helicopter activity as reminiscent of Apocalypse Now, and pointed to approximately 78 daily takeoffs and landings disrupting the waterfront and surrounding neighborhoods.
“The West Side Heliport should be closed because it poses serious threats to the general public,” the board wrote in a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul and local lawmakers.
Since New Yorkers have been fighting against the heliport for decades, it doesn’t make a difference if an NBA star is using it now. Let alone one who isn’t even playing for the Knicks.
“It’s bad enough that West Side Manhattanites have to deal with the constant blade slap of non-essential chopper use, but it adds insult to injury that it’s now being used for something as unnecessary as transporting a 76er to Philadelphia,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, speaking to W42ST.
“Knicks in 4,” he further added, supporting the New York team that doesn’t have players using choppers to travel between cities.
The environmental concerns are as potent as they’ll ever be. Hoylman-Sigal called it non-essential chopper use because James, worth $1.4 billion, can easily afford to live in Philadelphia. He chooses not to.
He chooses to use a chopper that burns an estimated 129 gallons of aviation fuel an hour. A 30-to-45 minute flight could roughly produce 1,390 to 2,080 pounds of carbon dioxide. Take a round trip, and that number goes up to 4,160 pounds as per the Environmental Protection Agency’s published emissions factor for jet fuel.
A one-way trip between New York and Philadelphia could cost anywhere between $4,000 and $10,000. That’s essentially loose change for the iconic NBA star who recently revealed his $3 million Basquiat painting to the world.
However, LeBron James does not pay a penny for the helicopter rides. As reported by Front Office Sports, the chopper comes as part of his broad deal with Fanatics. The exact worth or nature of the deal remains unknown.
Regardless, if the West 30th Street heliport closes down, James might have to find another landing spot. That’s exactly what the residents and authorities in New York have been advocating for.
“I’m calling a foul on LeBron for commuting by helicopter in and out of a public park,” Assembly member Tony Simone told W42ST. “The W30th Street Heliport brings noise, fumes and physically cuts our park in two. It’s long past time for this heliport to close and I will continue to push legislation that will finally stop the chop on the West Side.”
Simone has reportedly been pushing for legislative action against the heliport along with other members of the assembly. The argument here is that the heliport has long served private commuters and wealthy individuals/tourists, rather than being used for emergency transport.
Moreover, in 2007, a court settlement called for commercial helicopter operations to be shut down on the site by 2012. LeBron James joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2026, after spending 8 seasons with the Lakers.
Yet, the heliport is still standing in Hudson River Park and operates under a monthly lease system from the park’s trust. The conflict between New Yorkers and the heliport isn’t about LeBron James. After all, he arrived much later with his flashy travel arrangement. The fight, however, had started long before.