NEW YORK -

Dealers’ success this year seems to be spurring economic recovery along, at least in the Empire State. According to the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, franchised dealers in the New York metro area sold 403,000 new and used cars.

And as a result, their businesses injected $24.9 billion into the economy, while also providing nearly 56,000 Americans with jobs. Not a surprising number, when the study also showed that the average dealership employs 79 people.

These very same dealers also generated $1.71 billion in tax revenue to state and local governments last year

Commenting on these numbers, Mark Schienberg, president of GNYADA, said, "Our area’s auto dealers are an enormously important part of the local and state economy because of the revenue they generate and the jobs they produce.

"Directly and indirectly, greater New York’s franchised auto dealers provide nearly 56,000 jobs to area residents and are a key part of the region’s economic growth and development,” he added.

Moreover, the average dealership paid more than $4.1 million in payroll expenses.

Besides providing jobs and selling cars, dealerships also pump money into the economy through advertising.

"An average dealer employs 79 people of which more than a third are in high paying jobs in the service department. Dealers also purchase more advertising than any other sector, providing a lifeline to many local broadcast, print and online media companies. Last year, area dealership advertising totaled $385 million," said Schienberg. 

The local economy also received another $253.6 million during the New York International Automobile Show.

And nearly $24 million of this pot was formed by city-wide special events and public relations activities by OEMs, the organization noted. 

Summing up the report as a whole, it provides an “in-depth analysis of the economic impact of New York metro area new car and truck retailers on the New York economy,” officials noted.

“It includes a review of direct and indirect employment, personal income, tax collections generated by area automobile dealers and a review of dealership financial statistics and operations,” they continued.

Headquartered in Whitestone, N.Y., the GNYADA represents nearly 600 franchised automobile dealerships in the metro area of New York. 

Moreover, the GNYADA owns and operates the Center for Automotive Education & Training and the New York International Automobile Show.