The “Batkid” festivities in San Francisco that warmed hearts nationwide on Friday also left a dent in the city’s wallet to the tune of $105,000, a mayoral spokeswoman said.
The cost of holding the events for 5-year-old Miles Scott, who was fulfilling a wish to become Batman for a day, came mostly from a large celebration in Civic Center Plaza featuring Mayor Ed Lee, police Chief Greg Suhr and other leaders.
Mayoral spokeswoman Christine Falvey said the money came out of revenue from conventions held at the Moscone Center.
Falvey added that the Make-A-Wish foundation, which spearheaded Friday’s events for Miles, is raising money to offset the city’s costs.
Miles, a kindergartener from Tulelake in Siskiyou County who is recovering from leukemia, went around San Francisco on Friday in a Batman costume for a series of staged events that involved foiling plots by villains like the Riddler and Penguin.
Suhr said no police overtime was required for the events, which drew thousands of onlookers and set social media ablaze around the country, even drawing comment from President Barack Obama.
More information on how to donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation can be found online at http://sf.wish.org/wishes/wish-stories/i-wish-to-be/wish-to-be-batkid.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
