-
City eyeing massive ticker-tape parade if Yanks win
The Canyon of Heroes might soon see a seriously tall mountain of paper.
During his victory speech Tuesday night, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city could throw the largest victory parade Broadway “has ever seen,” a reference to a prospective Yankees World Series win.
“The Yankees worked hard to get where they are. They deserve it,” said Bronx Bombers fan Cassandra Martinez, 28, of Washington Heights.
But staging the largest ticker-tape party in city history would take more than 5,440 tons of paper, the amount dumped on Broadway during the U.S. victory over Japan during World War II, according to published reports.
“People are sleeping in the streets and he wants to throw a baseball parade?” Julio Rios, 42, of the Bronx, said of Bloomberg’s plans. “If he really wanted to look like he cares about the city, he should be handing out cash on the streets.”
A mayoral spokesman declined to comment yesterday afternoon, saying it was premature to speculate on the results of the Yankees-Phillies series.
The city spent $331,000 on its last ticker tape parade, the 2008 Super Bowl win by the Giants, according to reports. A Red Hook business typically donates recycled material for the confetti.
In addition to good cheer, city officials say the parades stoke business. The 1996 Yankees World Series victory celebration generated $31 million in tax revenue and spending on food and other concessions, according to mayoral officials. More than 3 million people attended. It was unclear how much resulted from the ticker-tape parades in 2000 for the Yankees and 2008 for the Giants.
Still, many New Yorkers were skeptical about holding a baseball bash amid tough economic times.
“That’s a lot of money to be spending when he can’t even get his trains running on time,” said Jose Muriel, 30, of the Bronx.
Jason Fink and Phoebe Kingsak contributed to this story.(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
- Follow Us
advertisement | advertise on am New York
advertisement | advertise on am New York
Partners
Search cars
