Michelle Steiner
2010-11-18 23:34:14 UTC
You can thank the GOP legislature and Jan Brewer for this.
<http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/11/18/2010
1118arizona-immigration-boycott-study.html>
Study: Boycott hit Arizona convention business hard
A boycott of Arizona in the wake of a controversial immigration law has
cost the state more than $140 million in lost meeting and convention
business, a new report released Thursday shows.
The economic impact analysis commissioned by the Center for American
Progress put hotel industry losses during the first four months after the
signing at about $45 million. Visitors would have spent an additional $96
million during their stays, said Angela Kelley, the group's vice president
for immigration and advocacy.
"This is as much I think to serve a warning to other states, particularly
those who rely on tourism and conferences and conventions, that there is an
economic impact to it," Kelley said. "We feel like this is a very modest
slice, just a piece of what the economic impact is, and we don't think that
we're overstating it or overselling it."
The study was paid for by the group, a liberal-leaning think tank, but
conducted by the respected Scottsdale-based economic firm Elliott D.
Pollack & Co.
It also says lost bookings will probably continue for more than a year,
multiplying the effect of a boycott called by immigrant-rights activists
after Republican Gov. Jan Brewer signed the state's new law in April.
Former state Sen. Alfredo Gutierrez said the goal of the boycott was to
bring the state's economy to a stop in much the same way that a boycott
punished the state 20 years ago over its refusal to honor the Rev. Martin
Luther King Jr. with a holiday.
The immigration law would require police - in enforcing other laws - to
question the immigration status of those they suspect are in the country
illegally. Opponents said that could lead to racial profiling, and said
immigration enforcement is the job of the federal government.
After U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton put the most controversial parts of
the law on hold on constitutional grounds in July, some opponents of the
measure called for the boycott to end, including U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of
Arizona and the grocery workers union.
An estimated 15 million visitors come to Arizona each year for vacations,
conventions and sporting events such as the Fiesta Bowl, pro golf
tournaments and baseball spring training. The state tourism office
estimates that conventions and other tourism-related activity brought in
$16.6 billion in 2009 and that 157,200 people were employed in industry.
<http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/11/18/2010
1118arizona-immigration-boycott-study.html>
Study: Boycott hit Arizona convention business hard
A boycott of Arizona in the wake of a controversial immigration law has
cost the state more than $140 million in lost meeting and convention
business, a new report released Thursday shows.
The economic impact analysis commissioned by the Center for American
Progress put hotel industry losses during the first four months after the
signing at about $45 million. Visitors would have spent an additional $96
million during their stays, said Angela Kelley, the group's vice president
for immigration and advocacy.
"This is as much I think to serve a warning to other states, particularly
those who rely on tourism and conferences and conventions, that there is an
economic impact to it," Kelley said. "We feel like this is a very modest
slice, just a piece of what the economic impact is, and we don't think that
we're overstating it or overselling it."
The study was paid for by the group, a liberal-leaning think tank, but
conducted by the respected Scottsdale-based economic firm Elliott D.
Pollack & Co.
It also says lost bookings will probably continue for more than a year,
multiplying the effect of a boycott called by immigrant-rights activists
after Republican Gov. Jan Brewer signed the state's new law in April.
Former state Sen. Alfredo Gutierrez said the goal of the boycott was to
bring the state's economy to a stop in much the same way that a boycott
punished the state 20 years ago over its refusal to honor the Rev. Martin
Luther King Jr. with a holiday.
The immigration law would require police - in enforcing other laws - to
question the immigration status of those they suspect are in the country
illegally. Opponents said that could lead to racial profiling, and said
immigration enforcement is the job of the federal government.
After U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton put the most controversial parts of
the law on hold on constitutional grounds in July, some opponents of the
measure called for the boycott to end, including U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of
Arizona and the grocery workers union.
An estimated 15 million visitors come to Arizona each year for vacations,
conventions and sporting events such as the Fiesta Bowl, pro golf
tournaments and baseball spring training. The state tourism office
estimates that conventions and other tourism-related activity brought in
$16.6 billion in 2009 and that 157,200 people were employed in industry.
--
Tea Party Patriots is to Patriotism as
People's Democratic Republic is to Democracy.
Tea Party Patriots is to Patriotism as
People's Democratic Republic is to Democracy.