Billionaire John Catsimatidis claims he is trying to get China to loan panda bears to New York City – in a move that could bring ‘tens of millions of dollars’ to the Big Apple.
The Gristedes founder and radio host, 75, told DailyMail.com that the move also shows a ‘desire to have peace in the world’ between the United States and China, in a deal that he dubbed ‘peace through pandas’.
‘The city really needs it,’ he added, claiming that the pandas would ‘rival the Statue of Liberty’ as a New York City landmark and could help fill the struggling city’s coffers.
It comes after beloved pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiand and Xiao Qi Ji were FedExed back to China from Washington earlier this month, with Catsimatidis quipping: ‘They FedExed them away, I’ll FedEx them back!’
Although he didn’t commit to a timeline for when the pandas may be on American soil, Catsimatidis said he would ‘love for it to be a part’ of the nation’s celebration of its 250th anniversary – which lands on July 4th, 2026.
Giant Panda Xiao Qi Ji hangs upside down from a tree in its enclosure at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, on the final day in the enclosure before it was shipped back to China on November 7
An airplane transporting giant pandas at the Dulles International Airport in Dulles
Billionaire John Catsimatidis said he is brokering a deal to bring pandas to NYC, claiming the attraction could ‘rival the Statue of Liberty’ and bring tens of millions in tourism money
The Chinese-owned animals have been seen as a diplomatic tool for decades, with Chinese President Xi saying last week that they are ‘envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.’
Speaking at a Wednesday press conference, Catsimatidis told reporters that he was ‘very happy’ that he could potentially lead the charge to bring pandas to New York, after a previous attempt to do so in 2017 fell flat.
‘The circumstances didn’t allow it,’ he said, adding that he feels more confident at success this time around thanks to a more open-minded approach from New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
‘New York is in deep trouble right now, and we need tourism, we need people to come to New York – and everyone loves pandas,’ he added.
Catsimatidis said he is in discussions with Chinese officials, including the Chinese Ambassador to the US, to bring the pandas back to New York, who he claims, ‘like the idea’.
He added that the ambassador brought up the possibility of loaning pandas to the United States with President Xi in San Francisco last week, and the Chinese leader had a ‘positive’ response to the idea.
Following the press conference, the billionaire is set to take center stage tonight were he will host 3,000 people at Carnegie Hall with the Chinese Cultural Foundation.
Intended to welcome Chinese culture to the Big Apple, Catsimatidis said the beloved animals taking prominence between the two rival nations rather than ‘generals trying to create wars.’
‘I just want to make peace,’ he added. ‘I think it would be a wonderful thing to exchange culture, it is better than exchanging threats.’
Intended to welcome Chinese culture to the Big Apple, Catsimatidis said the beloved animals taking prominence between the two rival nations rather than ‘generals trying to create wars’
The billionaire businessman John Catsimatidis shows his tie after a press conference in New York City
A commission to transport the pandas to the US will also be set up in the weeks after the announcement, Catsimatidis said.
The businessman said he hopes the iconic Central Park Zoo will be the site of the city’s newest potential tourist attraction, and would construct a ‘panda pavilion’ to house the fuzzy animals.
DailyMail.com has reached out to New York City’s Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the city’s zoos, for comment.
‘Panda Diplomacy’ was at the center of Washington’s shipment of the pandas back to China on November 7, when negotiations broke down to extend their stay.
It now leaves just four pandas in the US, with Atlanta the last place for animal lovers to catch a glimpse of the creatures after San Diego and Memphis surrendered theirs in recent years.
The Chinese Embassy in the US declined to offer specifics over a potential deal when contacted by DailyMail.com, but noted that ‘recently at the welcome dinner by friendly organizations in the United States, President Xi Jinping said that pandas have long been envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.
‘China is ready to continue our cooperation with the U.S. on panda conservation.’
Giant Panda Mei Xiang licks up water while resting in her enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington before her transport to China
The pandas were shipped in specialized crates earlier this month from Dulles International Airport
The panda crates were filled with 220lbs of bamboo and plenty of apples for their long voyage
Speaking at the National Committee on US-China Relations and the US-China Business Council last week, President XI said the sharing of the pandas is a key sign of ‘cooperation’.
‘We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on panda conservation, and do our best to meet the wishes of the Californians so as to deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples,’ he said.
‘I was told that many American people, especially children, were really reluctant to say goodbye to the pandas, and went to the zoo to see them off.’
Xi’s remarks came after a press conference where President Biden openly branded Xi a ‘dictator’, in a gaffe that saw him criticized on Saturday Night Live where one of the characters dressed as a panda.
Bowen Yang as Tian Tian (left) and Mikey Day as Joe Biden (right) during SNL’s cold open earlier this month, where the President was criticized for his handling of foreign policy
The Saturday Nigh Live cold open saw cast member Mikey Day – doing a Biden impression – flub a line from the teleprompter, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping as ‘Roman Numeral 11.’
Referring to Biden’s meeting with Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Day said: ‘We mad agreements about communications, fentanyl, climate change, but most importantly, got the thing America really needs right now: more pandas!’
DailyMail.com has reached out to the Chinese Ambassador and New York City Mayor Eric Adams for comment.