Tourism officials in New York City are laying plans to revamp Times Square — hoping to halt a slump that followed a four-year effort to beautify the strip.
The plan aims to draw in more visitors at night by retooling infrastructure and electrical service.
Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the $30 million initiative Wednesday at a forum on tourism in the Times Square area. He cited research suggesting that nearly one-third of tourists are lured away from Times Square after dark, and that they spend an average of about 80 minutes per visit.
Tapping into New York’s well-known brands, including Time Warner and Metro-North Railroad, officials will rebrand the area as the “Entertainment Corridor.” Under the new plan, visitors will be able to navigate the district by using the free Google Maps “Discover New York” feature on mobile devices.
The city is looking at rejiggering the residential density downtown, as well as the “density of zoned space” — streets where stores, restaurants and performances can operate during the day and at night.