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Indiana is at risk of losing its Amazon Headquarters bid, due to a lack of LGBTQ protections.
In a letter to his fellow investors, Amazon shareholder William Smith advocated for the new headquarters (dubbed HQ2) to be built in a state with LGBTQ non-discrimination protections.
The letter came just before the annual Amazon Shareholders meeting this afternoon. Shareholders are expected to elect a new board of directors for the coming fiscal year.
In the letter, Smith said, “Selecting a state where LGBTQ employees, their families, customers, and partners can face legal discrimination is tantamount to condoning discrimination.”
Nine of the 20 states currently under consideration for HQ2, including Indiana, lack comprehensive LGBTQ protections. According to a study by the Sage Policy Group, which performs economic and policy impact analyses, the economic boon for hosting HQ2 will be upwards of $17 billion in revenue, per year. The study was commissioned by the State of Maryland, another state currently in the running for the new facility (and one that does have LGBTQ state-wide protections).
Amazon itself would reportedly invest over $5 billion in the new headquarters, which the Sage Policy Group said could result in as many as 50,000 direct hires by the company.
This isn’t the first time Indiana’s lack of LGBTQ protections has cost it business. In 2015, the Indiana General Assembly approved the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA. Civil rights groups argued the bill could be used to discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community. The passage of RFRA drew condemnation from prominent businesses such as Apple, the NCAA, Subaru and Gen Con. According to The Indianapolis Star, RFRA cost Indiana $60 million in lost revenue and 12 major conventions.
Currently, there is no declared timeline for the announcement of Amazon’s HQ 2. Amazon is listed as the third largest company in the world, according to Fortune magazine.
