The Impact of Extending Marriage to Same-Sex Couples on the ...

WEDDING AND TOURISM SPENDING<strong>The</strong> extension <strong>of</strong> marriage rights <strong>to</strong> same-sexcouples will generate economic gains forCalifornia businesses, generating tax revenuesfor state and local governments. Weddingscreate economic activity as well as jobs,providing a boost <strong>to</strong> the economy. Forbesmagazine projects that if same-sex marriagerights were granted nation-wide, same-sexweddings would generate $16.8 billion dollars inexpenditures, adding significantly <strong>to</strong> America’sannual $70 billion wedding industry. 34 Anotherrecent estimate concludes that gay marriage willgenerate a billion dollars per year in spending inincrease in state and local From 2008-2010,government revenues. spending onthe United States. 35 Based on our analysis, weestimate that allowing<strong>to</strong>urism andFor over twenty years, analyses <strong>of</strong> other states’ same-sex couples <strong>to</strong> wed in weddings by samesexcouples wouldconsideration <strong>of</strong> opening marriage <strong>to</strong> same-sex California could result incouples have argued that the first state or states approximately $683.6<strong>to</strong> do so would experience a wave <strong>of</strong> increased million in additional boost California’s<strong>to</strong>urism from out-<strong>of</strong>-state couples that would spending on weddings and economy by overbring millions <strong>of</strong> additional dollars in revenue <strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>urism in the State overstate businesses.$683 million,36 In the Spring <strong>of</strong> 2004, the the next three years,issuance <strong>of</strong> gay marriage licenses in Portland, creating approximately creating almostOregon and San Francisco, California provided2,200 new jobssupport for these predictions. <strong>The</strong> actualexperience <strong>of</strong> businesses in Portland 37 and SanFrancisco 38 demonstrated that allowing samesexcouples <strong>to</strong> marry does in fact generate<strong>to</strong>urism and additional revenue for businesses.In fact, same-sex couples from forty-six statesand eight countries traveled <strong>to</strong> San Francisco <strong>to</strong>get married during the one month that the cityissued marriage licenses. Furthermore, inanticipation <strong>of</strong> the availability <strong>of</strong> same-sexmarriage in Massachusetts, cities in that stateexperienced a spike in hotel reservations,catering requests, and other wedding-relatedorders. 39Estimates <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts’ potential gain fromout-<strong>of</strong>-state couples coming <strong>to</strong> the state <strong>to</strong>marry have exceeded $100 million. 40 However,the Supreme Court <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts hasinterpreted a 1913 Massachusetts state law <strong>to</strong>prohibit gay and lesbian couples from outside <strong>of</strong>the state from marrying in Massachusetts unlessthey live in a state, namely New Mexico, NewYork and Rhode Island, which has a public policythat would support the recognition <strong>of</strong> theirmarriages. 41 As a result, California is poised <strong>to</strong>be the first state <strong>to</strong> take full advantage <strong>of</strong> thesame-sex <strong>to</strong>urism and wedding windfall.In this section, we estimate the potentialeconomic impact <strong>of</strong> weddings and <strong>to</strong>urism bysame-sex couples. By allowing same-sexcouples <strong>to</strong> marry—regardless <strong>of</strong> residencystatus—California’s businesses will experience alarge increase in wedding and <strong>to</strong>urism revenuethat will also result in an2,178 new jobs 42 andresulting in additional stateand local tax revenues <strong>of</strong> $63.8 million. To putthese figures in context, $97 billion was spen<strong>to</strong>n <strong>to</strong>urism in California in 2007, supporting924,100 jobs and generating $6.1 billion in localand state tax revenues. 43<strong>Couples</strong> From Other StatesIn order <strong>to</strong> estimate <strong>to</strong>urism expendituresderived from the 67,513 out-<strong>of</strong>-state coupleswho we estimate will likely marry in Californiaover the next three years, we draw on California<strong>to</strong>urism data that indicate the average perperson per diem spending for California <strong>to</strong>uristsas $162.80, and the average length <strong>of</strong> stay as4.15 days. 44 We estimate, then, that thesecouples will spend an average <strong>of</strong> $1,351 ontravel-related expenses during their stay inCalifornia.In addition <strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>urism expenses, spending willalso be generated by the wedding preparationsthemselves, including items such as ceremonies,meals, parties, transportation, flowers,6