Thomas-Henry challenges weak outer-borough visitor spending gains
Thomas-Henry points to a 6% increase in Queens visitor spending despite a large fan fest and says the Bronx and Staten Island were not mentioned. Honda says the city was proud to make the Queens fan fest free and accessible, and Mamana notes the data came from Visa card spending.
There were fan fests in all five boroughs, and I'm thankful that there was some activity outside of Manhattan, with one of the largest fan fests being in my district in Queens, in a stadium that holds over 25,000 people.
Do you think 6% economic activity during that time is a win?
Let alone, I don't even think the Bronx and Staten Island, I don't even think you guys had a trickle, a blip.
Sorry, the 6% you're referring to?
Do you mind elaborating on that?
It says, broader evidence, visitor activity extended beyond Manhattan.
International visitor spending increased 19% in Brooklyn and 6% in Queens.
Bronx and Staten Island aren't mentioned, but 6% in Queens, where we hosted a fan fest for, I want to say, almost like three weeks in a stadium that hosts over 25,000 people.
Appreciate that question.
I'll say we were really proud to work with the FIFA host committee to make sure that that fan fest was free and thus maximally accessible to both the surrounding community and visitors from out of town to drive maximum folks into the borough and to be
celebrating the World Cup accordingly.