(Newser)
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Critics of gay marriage bash its societal costs, but apparently it pays pretty well, too, with New York City pulling in a tidy $259 million last year. In the first year that same-sex marriage has been legal in New York, 8,200 marriage licenses for gay couples were issued—nearly 11% of all marriages in the city—and more than 200,000 guests traveled to New York to attend same-sex wedding receptions, reports Bloomberg.
"Marriage equality has made our city more open, inclusive, and free—and it has also helped to create jobs and support our economy," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday. The $259 million estimate also includes 235,000 hotel room nights, booked at an average of $275 per night. But, "what you can’t quantify is just the joy that has happened in New York City,” said Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
