The NCAA just added a new twist to the debate in Georgia over "religious liberty" proposals. This dispatch from the Indianapolis Star comes as Georgia lawmakers brace for another debate over legislation that critics believe would allow for discrimination against gays.
"We'll continue to review current events in all cities bidding on NCAA championships and events, as well as cities that have already been named as future host sites, such as Indianapolis," Bob Williams, NCAA senior vice president for communications, wrote in an email statement Nov. 12.
Downtown Atlanta's budding Mercedes-Benz Stadium, set to open in 2017, has already landed one such event: The men's basketball Final Four in 2020.
The NCAA's rumblings are likely to be embraced by Georgia's corporate powers, which have spent the last months consolidating opposition to the legislation known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The proposal's mostly conservative supporters say it would prevent government intrusion into faith-based activities, but opponents - including gay rights groups and some clergy leaders - demand language making clear the bill cannot be used to legalize discrimination against anyone.
Consider this story that popped this week by our colleagues Aaron Gould Sheinin and Kristina Torres a window into the level of opposition it will face from business forces next year:
Both studies obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution used the impact of similar legislation in other states to come up with estimates for Georgia and Atlanta. The studies not only show the potential losses to the state, but signal that two muscular business organizations are ready to fight the bill when lawmakers return to session in January.
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"You can see our concerns about passing religious freedom without any anti -discrimination language in it," said William Pate, the president of the Atlanta CVB. "It will have a significant impact on our business. The convention business is kind of the gasoline that runs the economic engine. You don't see it, but when it disappears you really feel it."
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