That ringing isn’t just the sound of wedding bells since gay marriage became legal in New York — it’s also the sound of cash registers.
In the first year since gay marriage was passed into law in New York state, same-sex weddings have generated a $259 million economic bonanza for the city, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday.
“Marriage equality has made our city more open, inclusive and free,” said the mayor outside the city’s Marriage Bureau.
“And it has done that while also creating jobs and supporting our economy. In other words, it’s a win for everybody.”
The City Clerk said 7,184 of the 75,000 couples issued marriage licenses between July 25, 2011, and July 16, 2012, identified themselves as same-sex; 58,136 registered as opposite-sex; and 9,809 did not specify.
Using data from a survey of the newlyweds, officials estimated that the actual number of same-sex couples was closer to 8,200.
NYC & Co., which commissioned the survey, said same-sex couples spent an average of $9,039 on each wedding and generated $259 million in economic activity as well as $16 million in tax revenues.
The average gay wedding attracted 36 guests, compared to 81 guests when heterosexuals tied the knot. Spending per guest was nearly equal, $163 for the gays and $171 for the non-gays.
But same-sex weddings were more likely to include out-of-town guests. At least one partner came from outside the city in 50 percent of the gay nuptials, compared to 25 percent for the straight couples.
The extra out-of-town traffic added 235,900 room nights to hotels at an average rate of $275.
During the fierce gay marriage debate in Albany last year, the state Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference estimated that the entire state would add $400 million in economic activity over three years — a figure that the city alone is likely to surpass in just two years.
“I hope those who think that marriage equality was somehow going to cause the end of the world see it has done quite the opposite,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, whose own gay marriage became a major event here.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Queens), who is getting married Saturday to his longtime partner, said he’s doing his part on the spending front.
“I think the average wedding cost this year has been about $30,000,” he said. “Dan and I went over the average a little bit.”
With marriage in the air, one reporter asked if there were any statistics yet on gay divorce.
George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Co., said it was too early for that kind of data.
Quinn, who had just finished explaining how marriage equality had produced so much happiness in the city, wasn’t as gentle.
“You are the Debbie Downer of this press conference,” she lectured the reporter.