With pressure mounting, corporations balking and politicians chastising Arizona over their “right-to-discriminate” bill, talk that Super Bowl XLIX may be pulled from the state is becoming more real.
The 2015 Super Bowl is currently scheduled to be held in Glendale’s University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Republican-backed bill, also known as SB1062, was the first of its kind to pass legislature last week and permits discrimination against gays and lesbians as long as business owners assert their religious beliefs.
But the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee isn’t happy about it. In fact, they joined the vocal majority and opposed the religious-rights measure, and the NFL agreed, saying it is against discrimination and is closely watching the bill.
“Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other improper standard,” said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. “We are following the issue in Arizona and will continue to do so should the bill be signed into law, but will decline further comment at this time.”
The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee said in a statement that one of its key missions is to promote economic vitality in Arizona.
“On that matter we have heard loud and clear from our various stakeholders that adoption of this legislation would not only run contrary to that goal but deal a significant blow to the state’s economic growth potential. We do not support this legislation,” the committee said.
Meanwhile, Republicans who originally backed the bill are now urging Gov. Jan Brewer to veto the measure in fear that major corporations, including Apple and American Airlines, will pull their support from the state.
“I think laws are (already) on the books that we need, and have now seen the ramifications of my vote,” State Sen. Bob Worsley told The Associated Press earlier this week. “I feel very bad, and it was a mistake.”
Oh, really? Looks like Worsley and others are down to make the right decision…but only after money got funny.
Interesting.
SOURCE: USA Today | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
