McCrory applauds Church of God in Christ for keeping 2017 convention in Charlotte
Gov. Pat McCrory took the unusual step Wednesday of praising the decision of the Church of God in Christ to hold its 2017 conference next year in Charlotte.
Charlotte has had a number of cancellations of meetings and conventions in the wake of House Bill 2, the controversial legislation that McCrory supports. HB2 nullified Charlotte’s expanded nondiscrimination ordinance for gay, lesbian and transgender individuals and requires people to use the bathroom that corresponds with their birth certificate in government buildings.
The biggest cancellation is for the NBA’s All-Star Game that’s scheduled for February.
The convention, known as the Auxiliaries in Ministry Convention, is organized by the Church of God in Christ, which is the oldest Pentecostal denomination in the world, according to the governor’s office news release.
“This is just another example of how North Carolina continues to be a global destination for jobs, business, tourists and talent,” McCrory said in a statement. “Today’s announcement by convention leaders, and others like it, will continue to support Charlotte’s booming hotel industry.”
The group held a news conference Wednesday in which it said it supported HB2, according to WSOC-TV.
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority said Wednesday it’s planning to have the group for a site visit for the 2017 meeting later this summer.
Steve Harrison: 704-358-5160, @Sharrison_Obs
This story was originally published August 10, 2016 at 6:38 PM with the headline "McCrory applauds Church of God in Christ for keeping 2017 convention in Charlotte."