[scalziand]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

^^I don't think the fact they are "swamped" means they make money when all factors including the costs to create them are considered. I conceded they would be popular with the public including me. I am certain if they made money and were not seen as a security threat, buildings like Embarcadero Center, the TransAmerica or the (former) Bank of America would have them.

The cramped observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors are startlingly profitable, especially during the holiday season, when tourists swarm the city.

The decks attract four million visitors a year and generated $60 million in profits in 2010, while the owners made little if any money on the office space, according to newly disclosed documents that offer a rare glimpse at the building’s balance sheet.

The financial results at the Empire State Building illustrate how observatories, once considered a modest sideline and a pleasant diversion, have become big business for owners seeking to wring every dollar out of office towers around the world.

Top of the Rock, the observatory at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, reopened six years ago after a long dormancy and now pulls in 2.5 million visitors a year and a $25 million profit, according to real estate executives who have been briefed on the project.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/ny...g-profits.html