Michael Bloomberg was adamant that New YorkCity needed its annual marathon as a symbol of its resilience in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, but the opponents of the race were more adamant. In the end, the opponents won.
The mayor’s office has confirmed widespread media reports that the marathon has been canceled after last-minute meetings. It will be the first year since 1970 the race has not been run. Bloomberg said the race had become a source of “controversy and division” that was distracting attention, if not material resources, from the recovery effort.
Until his concession, Bloomberg and his allies had insisted that the race would not only boost the city’s morale but also provide a concrete economic benefit. As my colleague Chris Smith notes, the race has been estimated to pump some $340 million into the local economy.
Offsetting that, however, was the prospect of police and recovery workers being diverted from the city’s hardest-hit areas in order to provide security and clear debris from the marathon route; of evacuees being turned out of hotels to make room for runners and tourists; and of a competition badly compromised by snarled logistics.
New York Road Runners, which sponsors the race, attempted to dampen criticism by rebranding the marathon the “Race to Recover” and pledging at least $1 million to recovery efforts. But it wasn’t enough.
For all the times when Bloomberg’s stubbornness has helped him to achieve his ambitious goals, this will be remembered as one instance where it led him astray.
