Thursday Headlines: Soccer Afterglow Edition
The governor’s office released a final tally on the FIFA World Cup’s economic impact this week, and buried in the top-line $3.5 billion figure is a look at how fans got around.
Attendees spent roughly $200.7 million directly on transportation — airfare, taxis, parking, public transit, rental cars and rideshare lumped together — as part of the tournament’s $1.9 billion in total direct spending, according to the underlying Tourism Economics report. That spending rippled out to a total economic impact of $247.1 million once indirect and induced effects are counted, supporting 4,470 jobs (3,932 of them direct) and $146.8 million in labor income. Air transport got its own smaller line: $10.6 million in direct spending, $21.2 million in total business sales, and 43 jobs.
For comparison, lodging alone drove $652.5 million in direct spending — more than three times what fans spent getting around. Part of the reason: the MTA absorbed most of the match-day crowds without fans needing to spend much extra to move through the system. Ahead of the tournament, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said the agency was simply doing what it always does because “moving millions is what we do, and not just when the World Cup is in town.”
Gov. Hochul made a similar point, noting the system’s baseline capacity dwarfed the tournament’s demand. “Our rail system handles over 7 million people a day, and so adding another 100,000 or so is actually probably getting us back to more of our pre-pandemic numbers,” she said.
The full breakdown, including operational costs like stadium and event transport logistics, is in the report here.
Elsewhere in the Empire State:
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Bronx) has rejoined the Democratic Socialists of America after her annual membership quietly lapsed in 2019. (City & State)
- New York City’s overall traffic deaths remain near historic lows, but cyclist and e-bike fatalities are up 70% this year, with 17 riders killed so far. (NY1)
- The New York AFL-CIO withheld endorsements in several Democratic congressional primaries, including races featuring Darializa Avila-Chevalier, Brad Lander and Laura Gillen. (New York Post)
- The NYC Ferry has turned Red Hook into a summer destination for Manhattan day-trippers, bringing crowds and much-needed business to a neighborhood whose economy remains highly seasonal. (Gothamist)
- Beacon Police Chief Tom Figlia says a report criticizing the department’s use of Flock license-plate reader technology contains factual errors. (The Highlands Current)
- Peter Buffett’s NoVo Foundation is preparing to open The Metro, a $55 million community center in Kingston offering fabrication facilities, studios, activity spaces, educational resources and a mental-health center. (Hudson Valley One)
- A popular Adirondack hiking trail has reopened following repairs. (WAMC)
- A pedestrian was killed in Central New York after being struck by a vehicle involved in a two-car crash. (Syracuse.com)
- Rochester City Council approved legislation advancing several downtown development projects. (Rochester Beacon)
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