Bulgaria-born Christo and Jeanne-Claude's free art display "The Gates" generated USD 254 M for New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced, as the project drew to its end. Photo by EPA/BTA
Bulgaria-born Christo and Jeanne-Claude's free art display "The Gates" far surpassed expectations, generating USD 254 M for New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced, as the project drew to its end.
More than 7,500 of the 16-foot-high gates, hung with panels of saffron-coloured orange fabric, were spread out over 23 miles of the park's paved paths for 16 days.
The piece of art attracted an about 4 million visitors to Central Park despite frigid February temperatures, Bloomberg said.
The month is a normally sluggish time for tourism in the city, but Bloomberg credited The Gates with drawing an unprecedented 1.5 million out-of-towners, including 300,000 from overseas.
He predicted the city would reel in USD 8 M in tax revenue "at virtually no cost" to the city.
The USD 21 M temporary work of art was funded by its creators, who donated USD 3 M to the Central Park Conservancy.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude plan to recycle the materials, including 5,290 tons of steel, about two-thirds the amount used to build Paris' Eiffel Tower.