Broadway Contributed $11.2 Billion to New York City in 2010 - 2011 Season

The Broadway League released the 2010-2011 Broadway's Economic Contribution to New York City report, the eighth biennial report in this series. The report measures the full economic impact of spending by Broadway production companies, theatre operators, and those visitors drawn to NYC by Broadway. As the official source for statistical information about Broadway theatre productions in the United States, The Broadway League's report demonstrates that Broadway not only offers entertainment, art and culture, but that it is an industry whose financial contributions nourish the economy of its city and state.

The new report states that during the 2010-2011 season, Broadway as an industry contributed $11.2 billion to the economy of New York City. This amount was comprised of direct spending in three areas: spending by producers to mount and run shows; spending by theatre owners to maintain and renovate venues; and ancillary purchases by "Broadway tourists" (defined as non NYC residents who said that Broadway was a very important reason in their coming to New York City). The money that was directly spent in these areas was then re-spent in multiple subsequent rounds.

The subsequent rounds make the original spending exponentially more valuable. In total, the full contribution of Broadway Tourists amounted to $9.0 billion; shows contributed $2.2 billion; and theatres $22.3 million, for a total of $11.2 billion on NYC's economy. Broadway supports 86,000 jobs and generates $550 million in taxes to NYC.

Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, said, "Broadway continued to show growth in economic impact on New York City with a most impressive 9% increase from the 2008 - 2009 season. The increase in the number of tourists who were drawn to the city because of Broadway directly was the most important driver in the growth of jobs supported by our industry from 84,400 to over 86,000 jobs, and generated $550 million in taxes, compared to $477.77 from the last report."

The report showed spending by Broadway tourists jumped from 8 billion in 2008-09 to 8.9 billion in 2010-11. Show expenses increased over that same period from 2.1 billion to 2.2 billion. Theatre capital expenses dropped from 53.8 million to 22.3 million.

A hard copy of the report is available through The Broadway League.