A new report out this week that shows the North Carolina bathroom bill will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years is new ammunition for groups in Texas that oppose similar legislation here, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"It confirms what we've been saying," Chris Wallace, who heads the Texas Association of Business, tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI. "Of course, Texas is three times the size (of North Carolina), so unfortunately you can do the math."
The report, done by the Associated Press found that, over the past year, North Carolina has suffered financial hits ranging from scuttled plans for a PayPal facility that would have added an estimated $2.66 billion to the state's economy to a canceled Ringo Starr concert that deprived a town's amphitheater of about $33,000 in revenue.
It goes on to say that North Carolina could lose hundreds of millions more because the NCAA is avoiding the state, usually a favored host. Next year, the College Basketball Championship, known as the Final Four, will be played in the Alamodome.
Earlier this year, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick held a press conference, chiding the media about their reporting on the bathroom bill. He claimed it will not hurt the state's economy
“There is no evidence whatsoever that the passage of Senate Bill 6 will have any economic impact in Texas," he said at the time.
In light of the new AP report, Wallace says we need to back off.
"Some say it will not happen in Texas. We simply think it's not worth the risk. It's risky business."
So risky that Visit San Antonio, which is the former Convention and Visitors Bureau, sent out an email this week, asking people to call their elected officials and tell them to vote against the bathroom bill.
"Should the bill pass, we estimate an immediate loss of approximately $39M from organizations and meetings that will cancel their event," the letter from Casandra Matej, President and CEO, reads.
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