Photo

The two gay hoteliers whose duplex on Central Park was the site of a small dinner this week with Senator Ted Cruz are facing boycott threats to their properties.

Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass own the apartment where the gathering for Mr. Cruz, who has been vociferously opposed to same-sex marriage, was the featured attraction on Monday night. The event focused primarily on foreign policy, but the topic of same-sex marriage came up, and during his appearance Mr. Cruz called it an issue best left to the states.

The event was put together by Mr. Weiderpass, and Mr. Reisner said he was simply an attendee. But after The New York Times reported on the event on Thursday, a Facebook page was established calling for a boycott of Out NYC, the hotel catering to gay patrons that the two created, as well as a property Mr. Reisner recently bought on the Fire Island Pines. The Facebook page had more than 2,700 “likes” on Friday morning.

Both men, in an apparent effort to play down any outrage in the gay community, put out statements making clear they disagree with the Republican senator from Texas on gay rights.

“I was given the opportunity to have a candid conversation with Senator Ted Cruz on where he stood on all issues, foreign and domestic,” Mr. Reisner said. “It was just three months ago that I hosted a ‘Ready for Hillary’ event for a record turnout of 900 people at the Out Hotel.”

He added: “Senator Ted Cruz and I disagree strongly on the issue of gay marriage, but having an open dialogue with those who have differing political opinions is a part of what this country was founded on. My tireless support of the gay community and its causes worldwide hasn’t changed and will not change.”

Mr. Weiderpass said: “People on both sides of the aisle need to be able to communicate with one another even when they ideologically disagree. I worked tirelessly for the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ as a member of the board of directors for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and needed to reach across the aisle to make that happen. The fact that Senator Cruz accepted the invitation to my home was a step in the right direction toward him having a better understanding of who I am and what I believe in.”

The apartment owned by Mr. Reisner and Mr. Weiderpass was also the site of a fatal drug overdose by a 23-year-old Brooklyn man six months ago.

Mr. Cruz’s aide Rick Tyler told The Washington Examiner that, in retrospect, the senator’s campaign should not have held the event there.