The freestanding waterfalls created by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson were more than two years in the making, and the $15.5 million project is expected to generate more than $55 million in economic activity.
"It's been quite a journey. It's been a great challenge to achieve this," Eliasson said, describing many middle-of-the-night tests to pump water over the metal scaffolding.
The four sites - off Governors Island in the harbor, at the Brooklyn base of the Brooklyn Bridge, at Pier 35 near the Manhattan Bridge and off the Brooklyn Promenade - are "the most unexpected and intriguing waterfall destination between Niagara Falls and Victoria Falls," Bloomberg said.
It's the city's biggest public art project since artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude erected "The Gates" in Central Park in 2005, adorning 23 miles of footpaths with 7,500 saffron panels. That project drew more than 5 million visitors and generated about $254 million in economic activity.
Hotels are advertising special packages and tourist agencies are offering bicycle and boat excursions to see the waterfalls, which Bloomberg called "a beautiful symbol of the energy returning to our waterfront."
The money to build the waterfalls was raised by the Public Art Fund, a private not-for-profit organization. Individuals, foundations and corporations - including Bloomberg's own media company, Bloomberg LP - donated $13.5 million, and a state agency picked up the rest of the tab.
The falls will be on every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Oct. 13, and illuminated after sunset.
