square in midtown Manhattan, New York City, formed by the intersection of Seventh Avenue, 42nd Street, and Broadway. Early known as Longacre Square, it was renamed for the building (1903), formerly occupied by The New York Times, which still transmits news on a band of electric lights mounted across its facade. The square and the area around it, with legitimate theatres, movie houses, amusement centres, and a vast subway station beneath, is one of the world's major entertainment districts. It is a tradition for crowds to gather there on New Year's Eve to welcome the new year.