Broadway Suburban Ticket Sales Decrease Over 5% Since Times Square Pedestrian Plazas Created

Back in the 1970s, when Times Square was loaded with prostitutes, drug dealers, thieves and three-card monte swindlers, it's understandable that Broadway's business was down and that theatres would often stay empty for months. People were afraid of the theatre district and a great many of those who did attend would quickly leave the area when the show was done and go out for nightcaps and late suppers elsewhere.

The decades since have seen a steady growth in efforts to make the area more hospitable for playgoers, especially tourists. Beginning in 2010, the conversion of Times Square streets into pedestrian plazas have worked wonders to eliminate the crush of foot-traffic overloading sidewalks during the pre- and post-theatre rushes.

But with those plazas have come controversy, as the prostitutes and con-artists have been replaced with costumed performers pressuring unsuspecting tourists for tips in exchange for taking photos; some dressed as loveable characters like Elmo and Minnie Mouse, some dressed in little more than decorative body paint.

Still, attendance among tourists, both domestic and international is on the upswing. However, since the plazas have been created, Broadway attendance among New York suburbanites has decreased significantly, from 21% of all ticket sales in 2010 to 15.6% in the 2014-2015.

Despite the availability of commuter trains into Manhattan and plenty of subway lines that take passengers to within a few blocks from any Broadway theatre, the increase of vehicular traffic congestion caused by the creation of plazas has proved a discouraging factor to customers from Long Island, Westchester and Rockland Counties, and northern New Jersey.

While Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League, tells the Daily News that topless panhandlers, aggressive CD hawkers and money-grubbing costumed characters contribute to what she calls "the misery index," Robert Sinclair, manager of media relations at AAA Northeast New York Region is more concerned with traffic headaches.

"It's extremely difficult to drive in and see a Broadway show in a car," he says.

Additional tie-ups are caused by construction around the plazas, expected to continue through the end of 2017.

Tourist Benjamin Goldstein was visiting New York with his family from Florida on Sunday and said the "chaos" and constant horn honking is maddening.

"I think I've had at least four costumed characters try to get me to take a picture. It's a bit strange. I get they're doing a job but it feels like you can't escape them."

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