Grand Central Apple Store Opening December 9

“Apple Store, Grand Central. Arriving Friday, December 9.” reads a panel reminiscent of a typical train station departure board in Manhattan’d Grand Central terminal.

While the grand opening has been confirmed, there is a bit of chatter about Apple paying peanuts for the rent there, as opposed to other venue holders in the terminal.

Yet Apple is said to have paid its debt and then some, with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reporting that Apple is paying four times the rent paid by the previous tenant (the restaurant Metrazur) to which it paid $5 million in order to buy out the lease.

By these accounts, Apple's 10-year lease on the store is the equivalent to $180 per square foot in annual rent, yet Apple's lease rates remain well below that many other tenants in the Grand Central station, according to MacRumors.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has reportedly launched an investigation into the matter.