The Baltimore Sun reports today that the Business History Conference has decided not to hold its 2018 conference in Charlotte, North Carolina as they had planned. Instead, they announced Friday that they would be moving their conference to Baltimore. The group’s secretary-treasurer announced that his organization made the change because of HB 2, commonly referred to as the bathroom law. The organization’s officer believes his organization may have transgender members, and “we have to be concerned how they will be treated.” In making this decision, the organization is forfeiting the $21,750 non-refundable down payment they made to the Charlotte hotel.
The Business History Conference is expected to bring in 350 guests and $120,000 in spending to my fair city. We in Baltimore are grateful for the business and for the boost it will give to our city’s economy. Moreover, our new mayor, Catherine Pugh, has announced that she will continue former mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s ban on government travel to North Carolina that she instituted last May.
I guess the North Carolina Republican Party figures their state doesn’t need the Business History Conference’s business, nor the business of Baltimore City employees.
