Survey: Times Square Plazas Scaring Suburbanites Away From Broadway Shows

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new survey suggests that the Times Square pedestrian plazas are actually driving down the number of suburbanites who go to Broadway shows.

According to Charlotte Saint Martin, president of the Broadway League, the photobombing Elmos, topless painted women, and aggressive street vendors "just isn't the atmosphere that is something that you want to deal with."

Saint Martin said the Broadway League's survey saw the number of suburbanites attending shows dropped from 21 percent in 2010 -- the year the plazas opened -- to just over 15 percent in 2015, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.

Times Square has seen its fair share of controversy since the plazas opened.

Complaints over aggressive costumed characters, panhandling, and topless painted women who are less than family-friendly spurred the city to create a Times Square Task Force.

The task force recommended a series of quality of life improvements and the NYPD stepped up its enforcement in the area with 100 additional officers.