AP Exclusive: ‘Bathroom bill’ to cost North Carolina $3.76B
RALEIGH, N.C. — Despite Republican assurances that North Carolina’s “bathroom bill” isn’t hurting the economy, the law limiting LGBT protections will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years, according to an Associated Press analysis.
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 cancelled Ringo Starr concert that deprived a town’s amphitheatre of about $33,000 in revenue. The blows have landed in the state’s biggest cities as well as towns surrounding its flagship university, and from the mountains to the coast.
North Carolina could lose hundreds of millions more because the NCAA is avoiding the state, usually a favoured host. Last week, the NCAA said North Carolina sites won’t be considered for championship events from 2018 to 2022 “absent any change” in the law, also known as House Bill 2, which it views as discrimination. North Carolina cities, schools and other groups have offered more than 130 bids for such events.
State legislators voted Thursday to roll back the law in a bid to end the backlash. The compromise plan was sent to Gov. Roy Cooper, who had urged lawmakers to support it. But the deal was condemned by some on both sides, with conservatives defending the current law, and gay and transgender activists demanding full repeal. It was unclear whether the retreat would satisfy college sports’ governing body, or other businesses.