How a Giant Rubber Duck Generated $30M: What Pittsburgh Teaches About Public Spending

Public finance can be tricky. How much a government should provide for the arts, transportation, and public schools is part of our annual debate at the four levels of government. 

Even with private funding, there are shortfalls, and eventually, some projects will fall by the wayside. I’ve always been partial to things that interest me, like science centers or central parks. Public transportation is as necessary as road repair. And anything that supports children and veterans goes to the top of my donation list. 

So, when I first caught wind of the 45-foot duck that was going to visit Pittsburgh, I was a bit skeptical. Many of my friends wanted to see this floating monstrosity. When I saw pictures of it, my first thought was ‘big egg yolk’. But, hey, whatever. 

I’m on the side of tax work that creates efficiency and data mines for missing money. I rarely hear that any government-type event is profitable, much less able to cover costs. When the final estimates came in, most people were shocked. So was I. 

The duck arrived on September 27^th, 2013. Over the next three weeks or so, the duck generated, by some estimates, over $30 million in tax revenue. Approximately 1 million visitors came to Point State Park. And since Pittsburgh was the first city in the U.S. to entertain the floating spectacle, people traveled from around the country to get a glimpse. 

Not only was the downtown area packed, but it also slowed traffic on any main artery in sight. The rivers were full of boats and kayaks – everyone wanted to get pictures taken with them, and they were also acquiring some interesting nicknames, like Duck Norris, Duck Rogers, or the Duck of Ellington. 

Bottom line: never underestimate what will draw a crowd. In this case, it was the creation of Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. And yes, I took the time to stop by and see in person. It was worth paying the parking tax and grabbing a quick bite. It was also worth seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, as well as the adults, the ‘big kids’, who were able to witness something you just don’t see every day.