Charlotte officials react to the state losing 10 ACC championship events because of HB2
North Carolina lost seven NCAA sporting events on Monday and Wednesday the ACC pulled 10 championship events out of the state because of HB 2. This one-two punch has local officials concerned about economic losses.
Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts says the two decisions are distressing and that she is worried cancellations of other events, such as the CIAA men’s and women’s basketball tournament will follow. CIAA officials haven’t made a statement on the matter. Roberts says, “I’m concerned about every event, even ones we’ve had for many years because they know they have LGBT fans and players working with them and they want them to be treated with dignity and not discriminated against.”
ACC officials say they canceled their events because HB 2, which limits protections for the LGBT community, is not in line with their nondiscrimination values. Mayor Pro Tem Vi Lyles says HB 2 is badly damaging Charlotte’s reputation.
“I’d like to see us actually deal with resolving this issue on HB 2,” Lyles said. “I’d like to see that cloud over our tourism industry, the cloud over all of our activities removed.”
City Councilwoman Julie Eiselt says a lot of people who support HB 2 don’t seem to realize how much the law has hurt the state economically.
“A lot of people are still in denial that this hurts North Carolina,” Eiselt said. “But talk to those in hospitality, concession stands at the sports events, they will tell you that it hurts them. That’s a real economic loss.”
In Charlotte, the ACC canceled a championship football game that was scheduled for December 3 at the Bank of America Stadium.
Copyright 2016 WFAE
