“We have already seen major events pulled out of Georgia because of the laws aimed at suppressing the vote there,” Mayor Nirenberg said.
SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg is concerned that a Texas election proposal could have an impact that could affect the San Antonio tourism industry.
“We have already seen major events being pulled out of Georgia because of the laws aimed at suppressing the vote there,” he said. “I sure don’t want it to happen in Texas.”
Major League Baseball rescheduled its Atlanta All-Star game after Georgian lawmakers passed a measure that made it harder to vote early and vote absent. Cobb County officials say the local economy will miss out on $ 100 million without the midseason celebrations.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott withdrew from the Texas Rangers opening ceremonies Monday, saying the league’s decision pushed for a “false story” about Georgia law.
A similar proposal that would end the drive-through voting and prevent major cities from extending early voting hours was cleared by the Texas Senate last week, pending debate in the House of Representatives.
“I just don’t get it,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.
Tourism is the third largest industry in San Antonio, grossing around $ 15 billion to the local economy each year before the pandemic.
San Antonio Sports plans that the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, which concluded this weekend, will raise approximately $ 27 million in direct spending in the city. A study commissioned by the foundation said the March madness of women would bring 15,000 visitors to the city.
“Anything that affects a visit to San Antonio is important to us,” says Richard Oliver of San Antonio. “We keep our finger on the pulse of the times.”
Visit San Antonio did not contact Texan lawmakers to discuss the measure and its possible impact on the visit, according to Oliver. However, he noted that politics had previously influenced tourism in Bexar County.
“Just the first few weeks we were discussing the bathroom bill in Austin cost us about $ 3 million in the business where groups didn’t want to come to Texas at the time,” he said.
Oliver says he didn’t hear about rumbling. Organizers are considering cancellations in San Antonio related to the Texas proposal.
“If it got to the level where we see it affecting the visits we haven’t had yet, we’d sneak in and give our two cents,” said Oliver.
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